THE creation of thousands of high-tech manufacturing jobs has become a major step closer after a million square feet of business space was put on the market.

Real estate adviser Colliers International has been charged with helping to further economic growth in East Lancashire by attracting businesses to the 50-hectare Samlesbury Enterprise Zone (EZ).

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Appointed by the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership and Lancashire County Council, they will market business space at the Samlesbury site between Blackburn and Preston to a range of engineering and manufacturing businesses.

With a simplified planning process in place the Samlesbury site can accommodate business units ranging in size from 20,000 sq ft to 350,000 sq ft.

The Enterprise Zone site is situated next to BAE Samlesbury, headquarters of the military aircraft division of BAE Systems, where more than 3,000 staff produce elements of the Eurofighter Typhoon and other aircraft including the American F-35 Lightning II and T-45 Goshawk.

Edwin Booth, chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, said: “We have been successful in securing status for four separate sites across Lancashire, at Samlesbury and Warton, the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone and the Hillhouse International Energy and Chemicals Enterprise Zone.

“This is the most sites awarded to a single local enterprise partnership in the country, which is a significant achievement.

“Collectively, they will help to create over 10,000 highly productive high-value jobs on site and thousands more in the supply chain.

“Combined, they make an economic and investor offer of truly Northern Powerhouse significance.

“Colliers will be marketing Samlesbury’s excellent location, rapidly improving connectivity, access to a highly skilled workforce and proximity to a supply chain featuring many high quality Lancashire businesses specifically geared up to support the automotive, aviation and high-tech sectors.

“They will also help to highlight Lancashire’s position as the country’s largest aerospace cluster in order to attract more businesses to the site.”

Andy Delaney, director at Colliers International, said: “Lancashire is the UK’s number one in terms of aerospace activity and advanced manufacturing and is home to significant businesses of national and global importance.

“Our appointment to market the Samlesbury EZ site is a major and prestigious instruction for Colliers and one which places us at the very heart of the drive to highlight the key attributes and benefits that Lancashire offers as well as stimulating interest, inquiries and inward investment opportunities.

“This Samlesbury Enterprise Zone aims to attract thousands of highly skilled, high value jobs to a high quality commercial development in the epicentre of the Northern Powerhouse.”

Mr Delaney added that work on the site was already under way with construction of a new spine road linking the A59 with the A677.