76 PROPERTY
TAKING A PARTNERSHIP APPROACH
Leading retail property specialist Ellandi and Blackpool Council have announced the creation of an asset management partnership as the town’s ambitious regeneration plans continue to move forward.
Ellandi describes itself as “the UK’s leading delivery partner for investing in, transforming and managing retail and town centre spaces”.
Since 2008 it has worked with a range of partners, from local authorities to global investors and lenders on more than 50 projects.
It has now been appointed as strategic asset manager on Houndshill Shopping Centre, Abingdon Street Market and the Corporation Victoria Street portfolio in partnership with the council. The assets make up a key part of the resort’s regeneration vision.
The 298,000 sq ft Houndshill Shopping Centre sits next to Winter Gardens, close to Blackpool Tower, and was acquired by the local authority in November 2019.
It is home to more than 55 stores, including Primark, Next and River Island. A new leisure phase including an IMAX-ready cinema will be delivered in 2023, along with new family dining outlets and a 22,500 sq ft branch of Wilkos, the household retail chain.
Abingdon Street Market is described as “a heritage asset” in the heart of the town centre and is undergoing a full refurbishment that will provide a “bright, modern space for shopping and socialising”, incorporating a new 250 seating area, new food and beverage stalls, artisan retail stalls and a coffee and bar area.
Together with property manager partner Workman, Ellandi and the council aim to deliver on plans for the centre to support Blackpool’s position as a national and regional destination.
Blackpool’s town centre vision
Mark Robinson, Ellandi co-founder, says the partnership comes at a time when Blackpool is at the forefront of the government’s levelling up agenda.
Council leader Lynn Williams says: “Ellandi has a strong track history partnering with local authorities, transforming and managing retail and town centre spaces.
“The team’s experience will help us with our town centre recovery strategy, attracting more footfall, boosting the economy and creating more opportunities for year-round job opportunities for our residents.”
AN INDUSTRIAL PLAN TO DELIVER JOBS
A proposed £65m industrial estate on the outskirts of Preston could deliver around 1,500 new jobs if it gets the green light.
The 25ha scheme would also deliver in the region of 800,000 sq ft of additional industrial and warehouse space alongside the existing well-established Roman Way Industrial Estate, which sits north-east of the city near Grimsargh.
And those behind the plan say if it goes ahead it will play a major role in addressing the shortage of high-quality industrial space in Lancashire and the wider region.
The development is being led by Sheffield based HBD and the Nelson headquartered Barnfield Group, who have now submitted an application for outline planning permission.
The proposed scheme is an employment site within Preston City Council’s Local Plan and Chris Newsome, senior development surveyor at HBD, says: “The site is well-connected, close to the motorway network and within just 1.2 miles of the M6, making it an ideal location for an industrial scheme of this calibre.
“It also sits adjacent to the very successful Roman Way Industrial Estate and would help to address the shortage of high-quality industrial space within the region, while providing thousands of new jobs.”
If the planning application is successful, infrastructure work would start on site later this year.
A map showing the proposed industrial estate
Tracy Clavell-Bate, head of development for Barnfield Group, says: “It is great to get the site to the planning stage; it hasn’t been without its challenges, but we are sure with it being a natural extension to the existing Roman Way site, which is fully occupied, that the development will be extremely successful if planning is granted.”
HBD and Barnfield have worked closely with the council since 2020 when initial pre- application discussions began. Since then,
a range of technical experts and specialist consultants have been involved in completing comprehensive site assessments.
The proposed scheme is the latest of several industrial projects delivered in joint venture by HBD and the Barnfield Group.
EAST, an 18-acre strategic development site, is also located in Preston, and has proved a success; its 70,000 sq ft first phase was fully let prior to practical completion with the rest of the site under offer.
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