DTZ completes study into Burnley enterprise park

PROPERTY consultancy DTZ has produced a market demand study in partnership with Burnley Council on the prospects for an Education and Enterprise Park next to the £80 million University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and College campus.

UCLAN is planning a 130,000 sq ft development/five acre site just off junction 11 of the M65 motorway and has completed the necessary site assembly for the scheme. DTZ said that a supportive planning framework is in place, and a developer competition is being planned for early 2011.

It is hoped that the park will support Pennine Lancashire’s growth in the digital sector and add strength to an advanced manufacturing sector that includes several leading aerospace companies.

Deborah Murray, associate director of DTZ’s development consulting team in Manchester, said: “Burnley Education and Enterprise Park is in a great gateway location. It benefits from unrivalled proximity to both the town centre and strategic road connections, enjoys the presence and commitment of the North West’s leading university for business generation and will be located within a high quality environment.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for Burnley. The partners have worked closely together to get all the right building blocks in place. The Enterprise Centre will anchor the scheme and has the potential to be the foremost enterprise centre in Pennine Lancashire.”

A £1m public realm works improvement programme is due to start on site next year.