Planning approval has been secured for the £13.2 million Samlesbury Innovation Hub, with the concept promoted at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow.
The event is major showcase of the aerospace, defence and advanced manufacturing sectors, which are key to Lancashire’s economy.
Lancashire County Council was part of the North West Regional Defence and Security Cluster delegation, hosted by BAE Systems.
The approval meant the Innovation Hub could be presented as part of Lancashire’s wider offer to businesses looking for high-quality commercial space, access to research and innovation, and connections into an established industrial base.
Located at the Samlesbury Enterprise Zone, the development will provide up to 30,000 sq ft of flexible workspace, meeting facilities and collaboration space for businesses working across aerospace, defence, advanced manufacturing, engineering, cyber and technology.
The Lancashire Growth Plan identifies national security and resilience as a strategic growth priority and sets out the county’s long-term ambition to strengthen nationally important sectors by attracting investment.
Simon Lawrence, director of growth at Lancashire County Council, said: “Businesses have more choice than ever about where they invest [and] our job is to show why Lancashire is different.
“[But they] don’t choose a location because of one building. They choose places with the right industrial strengths, skilled people, research capability and supply chains. Lancashire already has those advantages and we’re continuing to build on them, including through our commitment to strengthening the county’s cyber capability as part of a resilient future economy. That’s the conversation we [wanted] to have at Farnborough.”
Ian Barton, head of enterprise and entrepreneurship at BAE Systems, added: “The Samlesbury Enterprise Zone is a natural extension of our Samlesbury site, which has delivered high-value manufacturing in aerospace and defence for decades.
“The Innovation Hub builds on that heritage, bringing new companies and organisations together to collaborate alongside established industry.”
