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Alker Lane in Chorley by Development Management experts Continuum

Alker Lane,

Chorley

Development Management, Regeneration
Sector:
Industrial
Client:
Chorley Borough Council
Value:
Funding Secured - £2.25m

Alker Lane is a strategic employment site owned by Chorley Borough Council (CBC), located adjacent to the Council’s successful Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, which provides over 40,000 sq ft of flexible office accommodation. The Alker Lane development was designed to address a critical shortfall in high-quality, flexible workspace within the borough, supporting a range of occupiers from start-ups to established firms and encouraging inward investment in Chorley.

Although market demand for the scheme was strong, the development initially faced significant viability challenges. Abnormal infrastructure costs, coupled with prevailing market conditions and constrained rental and capital values, meant the scheme was not deliverable without financial intervention. Continuum worked closely with CBC to develop a financially robust model that enabled accelerated delivery, secured grant funding, and ensured the project could serve as a sustainable long-term asset for the Council.

Services Provided

Continuum provided comprehensive strategic and commercial consultancy services, supporting the scheme from initial feasibility through to funding and delivery. This included:

  • Undertaking constraints analysis and quantification of abnormal development costs

  • Conducting market demand analysis to shape a market-facing, occupier-led scheme

  • Preparing detailed development appraisals and cashflow models to assess viability

  • Collaborating with the design team, stakeholders and CBC to refine a deliverable scheme

  • Supporting the submission of a compelling business case and RIBA Stage 2 designs, resulting in a successful £2.25 million Getting Building Fund award

  • Facilitating the re-submission and approval of planning applications, with updated permission granted in December 2020

  • Advising on delivery structures and commercial strategies to enable CBC to retain the employment units as revenue-generating assets

Alker Lane, Chorley by development management experts Continuum

Outputs

Continuum’s input enabled Chorley Borough Council to unlock delivery of the Alker Lane scheme and secure lasting social and economic benefits for the borough. Key outcomes included:

  • £2.25 million of Getting Building Fund grant secured to bridge the viability gap and support critical infrastructure

  • Planning permission secured in December 2020

  • Construction commenced in March 2021 and was completed on time and within budget by August 2022

  • Creation of flexible, high-quality employment space supporting up to 33 local businesses and generating around 300 full-time equivalent jobs

  • CBC opted to retain ownership of all units, securing a sustainable income stream for the authority

  • Integration with the adjacent Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, with ultra-fast connectivity extending the site’s appeal to the digital and tech sectors

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