Buckshaw Village

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Map sources for Buckshaw Village at grid reference SD562210

Buckshaw Village is a new residential and industrial area between the towns of Chorley and Leyland in Lancashire, the original area of Buckshaw being part of Euxton. It is one of the largest urban development sites in the North West of England. It is the largest brownfield regeneration scheme in the whole of Europe.

1 History
2 Industry
3 Housing
4 Transport
5 Divisions
6 References

[edit] History

The new development is taking place on the former site of the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) Chorley, and covers several square kilometres. The area of land was known as Buckshaw, before it was requisitioned by the MOD in the 1930s. There are two listed buildings in this area that the ROF had a duty of care over, the smaller Old Worden Hall, which has recently been redeveloped by the Maysand Group^[1] this was the ancestral seat of a branch of the Farrington family, who later built and moved to Worden Hall in Worden_Park, Leyland as well as Buckshaw Hall which was built in the 1650s for the Robinson family^[2].

[edit] Industry

Two halves of the development are separated by a major new road called Central Avenue. To the west is an industrial and commercial centre known as Matrix Business Park^[3]. A planning application was submitted in December 2006 for Buckshaw Village's first pub which will be situated in Plot 1000B^[4] of Matrix Park.

There will also be another major road running West-East through Buckshaw Village connecting Central Avenue to the A6 which will be named Buckshaw Avenue. It is understood that formal adoption of Buckshaw Avenue by Lancashire County Council is due in March 2007 with the road opening soon afterwards.

Plans were announced in February 2006 for a new industrial development called Revolution Park^[5] by property developers HelioSlough. The 30 hectare site is accessed via Buckshaw Avenue and is situated at the southern end of the Buckshaw Village site. This is adjacent to the 2½ hectare plot occupied by Lex Auto Logistics' new distribution centre completed in late 2006.

[edit] Housing

Up to 2000 new housing units are in the process of being built by Redrow and Barratt Homes. The homes are mainly targeted at the family market but many of the new homes are also specifically aimed at first-time buyers. Additionally, a joint venture between the Hica Group and Caddick Group sees the construction of a new retirement village designed to accommodate 200 homes aimed at over 55's. This will be situated to the west of Central Avenue adjacent to BAe Systems.

There is also an eco-friendly village built in conjunction with scientists from University of Manchester, who are testing various experimental and environmentally friendly principles. The homes will use a variety of energy sources, from geo-thermal and solar power to wind energy. The scheme is now a show village after opening on 25 May 2006.

[edit] Transport

Road connections nearby include the motorways M6 and M61, as well as the A6 and A49 roads. A new railway station due to open in December 2008 ^[6] is proposed on the Manchester to Preston railway line between Leyland and Chorley, ensuring that the area will be very popular to new residents and businesses. The new railway station will be situated opposite Runshaw College.

A bus service run jointly by John Fishwick and Stagecoach offers connections to Chorley, Leyland and Preston on route number 109.

[edit] Divisions

Buckshaw Village is currently split with sections in three Parish and Borough boundaries. Matrix Park and much of the north west side of the village is in Leyland (i.e. South Ribble Borough Council) with a few homes on the Eastern side when built falling within the Whittle-le-Woods parish boundary. The majority of the homes will be in the parish of Euxton as part of the Astley & Buckshaw Borough Ward. Both Euxton and Whittle-le-Woods Parish Councils fall within Chorley Borough Council.

It is understood Chorley borough will adopt all of Buckshaw Village within its boundaries once the development is complete with the village perhaps eventually having its own parish council.