Planning permission has been granted for a new children’s nursery on the outskirts of Clitheroe that will create places for up to 120 children.
The nursery, which will be located on land at Barrow Brook Business Village off the A59, is also expected to create up to 40 full and part-time jobs.
Lancashire-based planning consultancy PWA Planning, working with architects Stanton Andrews, helped secure planning permission for the development on behalf of applicant Mark Holden of Red Rose Holdings Ltd.
The development, approved by Ribble Valley Council on March 10, will see the creation of a single-storey nursery building with adjacent car parking and extensive landscaping.
Louise Leyland, senior planner at PWA Planning, said: “This development will significantly increase the supply of nursery places in the Clitheroe and Whalley area. The nursery is in an accessible edge-of-town location and benefits from excellent transport links. It also complements the surrounding business park location and can offer an essential service to local employees and the wider area.”
Mr Holden already owns and operates two successful nurseries, Riverside Nursery in Darwen and The Hub in Buckshaw Village, Chorley.
He said: “Our aim is to create a high-quality, award-winning nursery in the Ribble Valley. We believe we’ve found the perfect location to do this. Our efforts turn now to getting on site and recruiting excellent staff. We look forward to welcoming our first children early in 2018.”
The design for the nursery features a hotel-style entrance with three wings that divide the site into three distinct areas with multiple play spaces, rather than having one big playground.
There will be an internal courtyard playground for the youngest children, two more play areas for the 2-3 year olds and a much larger playground, that wraps around the building for the eldest children.
Commenting on the design, architect Charles Stanton, of Stanton Andrews, said: “We were asked to design spaces that can embrace kids’ daily activities, such as eating, sleeping and playing, but which also respond to the age, confidence and spirit of the children as they grow from babies to pre-school age.”
Construction work on the new nursery will begin in the summer, and the nursery is expected to be fully operational by early 2018.
