Regeneration Project of the Year (sponsored by Market Place Bolton) finalists:

Appletons

A NEW public car park for the Smithills Estate which enables more people to enjoy the area is a finalist for the Regeneration Project of the Year Award 2019.

Appletons - which specialises in all aspects of landscape, architecture, ecology and environmental consulting - worked closely with the Woodland Trust to deliver the new destination Smithills Gateway car park and visiting point on Walker Fold Road.

The Smithills Estate is the Woodland Trust’s largest site and it is the Trust’s vision to regenerate the estate with improved management and the planting of thousands of trees to benefit local people for generations to come.

Appletons produced designs, helped the Trust gain planning permission, put the project out to tender and oversaw the build. The new car park has been designed to allow better public access to the wider estate and also has the capacity to hold events.

It has been designed so that, in the longer term, it will become a visiting point in a woodland setting. Wildlife attracting wetland and wildflower grass mixes are also part of the scheme. Materials chosen are both sustainable and sensitive to its location.

The overall vision for the Smithills Estate is to regenerate it with the new woodlands, wetlands, better public access, increase plant species mixes and improve overall long-term management of the estate. The destination car park and visiting point is a key driver in this vision.

Commented Dave Starkie, Associate Director: “We supported the Woodland Trust in creating a destination car park and to allow better access to the wider Smithills Estate.

“The ethos of the design was to be sensitive to its countryside location, using sustainable construction methods and materials where possible. The scheme was completed in early 2019 and has already proved to be a valuable asset to the Trust.”

Thrive

THE transformation of an “eyesore” building in Farnworth into a bright and airy office block has made it a finalist for the Regeneration Project of the Year 2019.

Thrive acquired Miller House on Market Street, which had been effectively derelict for some years. The company had the imagination and courage to take a risk on the property and create a vision that would both change the face of Market Street and bring much-needed office accommodation and investment for businesses into the local area.

Months of planning and research went into the design of Miller House to transform it from a dark and uninspiring Sixties’ building into something more suitable for the demands of 21st century modern businesses.

Every detail was considered, from a complete revamp of the front elevation to creating exciting and vibrant office suites and communal spaces.

An £800,000 budget enabled Miller House to be turned into a contemporary, stylish Thrive building featuring meeting rooms with the latest technology, high-speed internet and WiFi, modern break-out areas and an on-site gym.

All of these are included in the competitive pricing structure and designed to give Farnworth affordable office space for both start-up and more established businesses alike.

Its meetings rooms are also for hire to all local businesses and there are also great facilities already on offer for tenants including free membership to Club Thrive, which enables any member of the any Thrive building to work from any other. This brings people from outside the local area to Farnworth to work and to benefit other local businesses.

Commented Managing Director Matthew Settle: “We’re proud to be finalists in the Bolton Business Awards.

“It is testament to the hard work of all our team to turn this once neglected building into the busy and successful business hub it is today.”