2.2 Economic Regeneration in Chorley
One of the aims of LTP1 was to encourage a sustainable economy. A successful economy brings increased prosperity and improved social inclusion. These outcomes complement the Corporate Objective of Lancashire County Council to make Lancashire a good place to work and live now and in the future.
2.2.1 The Economy of Chorley
In 1945, there were more jobs in Chorley than people available for work. Then, the Royal Ordnance Factory in Euxton was the principal employer with a work force exceeding 20,000. However, the number of employees steadily declined until manufacturing ended in the 1990s. By 1991 the number of the number of people available for work in Chorley exceeded the number of jobs by 12,740.
Figure 2.1 Employment in Chorley
In 2001 the excess stood at 12,620, so the increasing trend appears to have been arrested. Many people continue to travel to work outside the district, principally in Greater Manchester, South Ribble and Preston. Whilst the net outflow in 2001 was 12,620, there was an inflow of 12,440 and an outflow of 25,060, a total of 37,500 movements across the district border. This number was exceeded only in Preston and South Ribble. As employment within Chorley rises, more residents will be able to find work locally, reducing the number of movements in and out of the district.
The 2001 Census showed that the great majority, 72.8%, of journeys to work in Chorley were made by car, with 65.5% as drivers and 7.3% as passengers. 5.15% went by public transport, 3.3% taking the bus and 1.8% going by train. Whilst 9.2% were on foot, just 1.8% were by bicycle.
|
Chorley |
Lancashire NUTS2 |
North West |
England & Wales |
|
|
Working mainly at or from home |
9.3 |
9.0 |
8.4 |
9.2 |
|
Underground, metro, light rail, tram |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.6 |
3.0 |
|
Train |
1.8 |
1.0 |
1.9 |
4.1 |
|
Bus, mini-bus or coach |
3.3 |
6.3 |
8.6 |
7.4 |
|
Motorcycle, scooter, moped |
1.0 |
1.0 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
|
Driving a car or van |
65.5 |
59.4 |
58.4 |
55.2 |
|
Passenger in a car or van |
7.3 |
8.0 |
7.5 |
6.3 |
|
Taxi or minicab |
0.4 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
|
Bicycle |
1.8 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
2.8 |
|
On foot |
9.2 |
11.5 |
10.3 |
10.0 |
|
Other |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
All people aged 16-74 in employment
Source; ONS Census of Population, 2001
We have improved the standard of public transport to attract more passengers on journeys to work and school. As local employment increases, the average length of the journey to work should steadily go down. 44% of existing journeys to work in Chorley are less than 5km long, and better facilities for cycling and walking will allow many more journeys to be made by bicycle and on foot. The result will be less congestion around employment sites and schools, reduced delay on peak hour journeys and lower levels of air pollution.
Reduced levels of air pollution and greater opportunities for exercise, together with improved access to healthcare, will improve levels of health in the Borough and contribute to a healthier workforce. Easier access to education and training will contribute to a better-trained workforce. The 2001 Census revealed that 20% of households in Chorley did not have access to a car. Whilst this was below the average for Lancashire at 25%, wealth was not spread uniformly across the district. The provision of more employment locally, together with greater accessibility, will increase social inclusion in the disadvantaged areas.
The single most important project in Chorley is the redevelopment of the Royal Ordnance Factory site as Buckshaw Village, Matrix Park and the Regional Investment Site. This has been supported by substantial highway infrastructure improvements. Residential development in Gillibrand has been supported by construction of the Gillibrand Link Road. The opening of Chorley Interchange plus improvements for cyclists and pedestrians have promoted sustainable transport across the Borough, improving access to employment, education, healthcare and shopping. The schemes have also provided a secure foundation for the programmes we will carry out under the second Local Transport Plan.
2.2.2 Buckshaw Village
The end of manufacturing at the former Royal Ordnance Factory site in Euxton meant the loss of an important source of employment in Chorley and left an extensive site of 365ha/900 acres in a derelict condition. As it lay at the heart of Lancashire with access from two motorways and the Preston-Manchester railway line, the NWDA identified it as a Regional Investment Site with development characteristics fundamental to the economic growth of the North West. The Regional Spatial Strategy and Regional Economic Strategy both include it as a Strategic Regional Site at the heart of the Central Lancashire City Region.
The development planned for the site includes;
- The Strategic Regional Site of 54ha/133 acres in Chorley district with the potential to create 2,500 new jobs
- Buckshaw Village, a mixed-use development site of 177ha/395 acres mostly in Chorley but extending over the border with South Ribble including;
- An urban village of 2000 houses
- Matrix Park commercial development
- 80ha/200 acres of landscaped space.
Sustainability has been the aim at each stage of the redevelopment, from remediation, through the design of the drainage and transport infrastructure, to the design of the buildings. The high standard of the development has resulted in several awards. The NWDA supported the substantial remediation necessary for its redevelopment. The owner BAE Systems, with the support of the Environment Agency, minimised environmental impact by retaining all the material within the site, winning a commendation from Business Commitment to the Environment in 2004. Surface water runs into a sustainable drainage system (SUDS) that is fully integrated into the overall landscaping programme.
Lancashire County Council has worked closely with Chorley and South Ribble Borough Councils to establish the transport needs of the site. Measures for sustainable transport have been built into the development. Central Avenue, the north-south axis of the site, has been completed with provision for Quality Bus services and Preston-Chorley services have been rerouted to serve the new development. The site lies on the route of National Cycle Network Route 55 and the high quality footway and cycleway infrastructure within the development won the 2005 National Cycle Network Awards for Excellence 2005.
Network Rail has completed the major works to redouble the track at Euxton Junction, enabling the 125mph timetable for the WCML to be integrated with the movements on the Preston-Manchester line and allowing the construction of Buckshaw station. Space has been reserved for a new railway station and Park & Ride site and opening is programmed for 2008.
The large scale of the development has required substantial works to give access to the local and national highway networks. The County Council has undertaken the design of the following highway works and has supervised their construction;
- Upgrade M6 Junction 28 and M61 Junction 8
- Improve 2 signal controlled junctions on A49
- Install signal control at 2 junctions and 2 A6 roundabouts
- Improve junctions with Dawson Lane and Euxton Lane.
In January 2006, a scheme valued at £20 million was agreed for the Strategic Regional Site, involving Chorley Borough Council, NWDA, the landowner BAE Systems and the first occupier, Lex Auto Logistics. By April 2006, 1 million of the 1.4 square feet available at Matrix Park had been committed to new industrial and commercial accommodation, with 750 people employed in the park. The first houses in Buckshaw village were occupied in 2003 and over 400 have now been completed, offering a variety of designs. The development has won awards for the Best New Build Village as well as the Best Development for First Time Buyers.
In June 2006, the developer completed an Eco-smart show village of houses equipped with renewable technology. The University of Manchester will monitor energy consumption in these houses. To provide services within easy reach of the new community, a primary school and a community centre are planned together with extensive landscaped areas and a nature reserve. Sports facilities will include a bowling green, all-weather playing pitch, two grass pitches, changing rooms and a multi-purpose court.
2.2.3 Chorley Town Centre
Improvements have been carried out across Chorley Town Centre to improve safety and access to services and to complement the works at Buckshaw. A new bus station, Chorley Interchange, was built in 2003 on a large town centre car park. A car park management system has been introduced with Variable Message Signs to direct drivers to vacant spaces in the remaining car parks. The Interchange is linked to the railway station. The Interchange quickly became popular with users and won the Bus Industry Award for Infrastructure in 2004. Regular surveys show high levels of satisfaction; the survey of February 2006 recorded an average of 91% approval for cleanliness, security, management and satisfaction.
Chorley Interchange will provide a focus for better public transport in Chorley. Quality Bus services have been introduced between Chorley and Wigan. The operator introduced new low-floor vehicles on the Preston-Chorley-Bolton route, increasing patronage in 2003 by 6.5% and making Chorley the tenth fastest growing network in the country. Full Quality Bus services will follow within the period of LTP2.
Chorley Interchange will support better local services too. The bus network will be remodelled under an award of £800,000 in 2005 from the DfT Kickstart fund. Network Chorley will offer better links to town centre services, Chorley Hospital and Supermarkets, especially from disadvantaged areas. The services will begin in July 2006, using new low-floor, easy-access buses. Marketing will attract new passengers and to establish a sustainable service.
Chorley is a local shopping centre with a renowned weekly market and a popular pedestrian area on Market Walk. The construction of Chorley Town Centre Bypass allowed the main street to be closed to through traffic. During LTP2, pedestrian priority will be extended across the town centre and improvements to the public realm will make the centre a more attractive place to shop and a more friendly place to socialise. An Accessibility Study of Chorley Borough as part of LTP2 will identify problems of accessibility and propose partnerships to provide lasting solutions.
2.2.4 Gillibrand Link Road
Gillibrand Link Road and new housing to the south of Chorley, with the aid of the New Town Invest in Success initiative, were included in the Chorley Local Plan of 1995. The road was funded by the residential development. Lancashire County Council designed the road and supervised its construction which was completed in May 2003.
The link is a single carriageway road almost 2km long. It extends a western bypass around Chorley from the A6 north of Chorley to the B5251 Coppull Road. It includes three roundabouts, two of them providing access to a new housing development of 500 houses plus 100 affordable homes. The road has relieved traffic flows on the existing network and improved access to the schools and education sites on the west side of Chorley. A cycle/footway runs parallel to the new road. Two permissive footpaths lead to the new Yarrow Valley Country Park. Measures are included for improved public transport too.
The construction of Eaves Green Link Road, proposed for 2006/07, will open up further land for development and complete a western bypass by connecting Gillibrand Link Road to a junction with the A6 south of Chorley.
2.2.5 Sustainable Transport
Cycling and Walking
Cycling and walking offer cheap and sustainable ways to get to school, work and local services. Safe routes reduce road casualties, while the transfer of car journeys to cycling and walking increases accessibility, reduces congestion and raies air quality. Cycling and walking also contribute to the wider aims of improving health, increasing social inclusion and supporting the local economy. Many new jobs in Buckshaw Village will be accessible by cycling and walking.
Development has funded a series of cycle and footpaths. The Heritage Lottery has funded the restoration of Astley Park and the construction of cycleways across it. These have completed the links between the town centre and Buckshaw Village via Astley Village. The construction of Eaves Green Link Road in LTP2 will complete a cycle route round the west side of Chorley, providing new links to schools and employment sites from less well off areas. The new traffic signals at the A6 roundabouts include cycle crossings, removing a barrier to north-south cycle journeys in Chorley and making cycle access to Chorley Hospital easier. 4 cycle injury accidents were recorded at the roundabouts in the 5 years prior to the works.
The canal towpath in Chorley has been improved as part of National Cycle Network Route 55, and in total we have increased the length of off-road cyclepaths in Chorley from 6km to 16km during LTP1. We will build upon this base in carrying out LTP2. We have also carried out a programme of eight pedestrian schemes providing new footways and improved road crossings, varying from pedestrian refuges to signalised crossings. Where possible, these have been linked to the Safer Routes to School contained in School Travel Plans.
Access to Health
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust operates the hospitals in Chorley and Preston, and we are working with them to improve access for patients and staff. Using the DfT Transport Cycling Projects Fund to supplement our own Cycle Aid programme, we have prepared maps showing cycle routes to each site and installed secure cycle storage. As part of the EU project Optimum 2, we have introduced a shuttle service between the two sites for both staff and patients.
We have improved access to healthcare from rural areas. The Red Rose Runner is a dial-a-ride bus service serving healthcare and other appointments. Services 108 and 115 provide a link from rural areas to Chorley Hospital. We have produced a pamphlet showing a map of the hospital site, the location of the bus stops near the hospital and all the services that pass the hospital. We also fund Community Transport and Community Car schemes in Chorley.
With the Lancashire plain stretching to the west and the West Pennine Moors rising to the east, Chorley’s situation offers many possibilities for exercise on leisure rides and walks. Chorley is enclosed by the southern loop of the Lancashire Cycleway. In the West Pennine Moors, we have marked out two loops for mountain bikers which follow the tracks used in the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Chorley Borough Council offers a programme of walks in Yarrow Valley Country Park and we will construct a low mobility route there. We will improve access to the countryside further in LTP2 by constructing multi-user routes under the Rights of Way Improvement Plan and the West Pennine Moors Bridleway Strategy.
Access to Education
Good access to education and training is important to provide a skilful workforce. With funding from the DfES, we have assisted the preparation of School Travel Plans at 10 Primary Schools and 3 High Schools in Chorley. These schools receive further funding from the DfES on approval of the plans. We are working to introduce Travel Plans at all the schools in Chorley by 2010.
The sixth form college nearest to Chorley is at Runshaw in Leyland, South Ribble. Through the Local Transport Partnership we have established a Wheels to Learning scheme at Runshaw. This offers a variety of solutions to transport problems and scooter hire has proved the most popular. The college has set up an Adult Education Centre in Buckshaw Village.
The Lancashire College delivers adult education and training to the south of the county from a campus on Southport Road, Chorley. In 2005, the Adult Learning Inspectorate awarded Lancashire Adult Learning Grade 1 - Outstanding - for its approach to equality of opportunity. Edge Hill University, the largest provider of initial teacher training for secondary education in the UK, maintains a campus on an adjoining site. Nearby, the Lancashire Fire Service has a training centre of national importance at Washington Hall. Frequent bus services running along Southport Road link the sites to Chorley Interchange and Euxton station. New infrastructure has improved local access by cycling and walking and by car.
2.2.6 Local Safety Schemes
The annual programme of Local Safety Schemes identifies sites of road casualties and puts forward an annual programme of schemes prioritised to reduce road casualties. Schemes which reduce the speed of traffic also provide safer and more pleasant conditions for cycling and walking to work and to school. We have implemented area calming schemes in Clayton Brook and Devonshire Road, in addition to schemes introducing revised signing and lining, interactive signs and safer pedestrian crossings. We have completed ten 20mph zones based on schools in Chorley, supplemented by the programme of schemes completed by Chorley Borough Council.