Northern property developer Breck has completed the acquisition of the 21-acre former Ravenhead Brickworks site in Upholland, near Wigan, as part of its plans to deliver high-quality homes across the North West.
The disused brownfield site was formerly operated by UK brickmaker, Ibstock, and decommissioned in 2023. It will be transformed into a new residential community of approximately 300 homes, subject to planning approval, and will be Breck’s largest development to date.
Breck funded the unconditional acquisition from its internal cash reserves. The developer aims to submit a detailed planning application by the end of 2025.
Headquartered in Walton Summit in Lancashire, Breck currently has a development pipeline of around 2,000 homes across the North.
Andy Garnett, director at Breck, said: “The acquisition is part of our commitment to regenerating communities across the North by identifying and unlocking strategic land opportunities. As a well-funded business, we are able to act quickly when sites like Ravenhead come to market. We have purchased the potential development site without any existing planning permission at our risk.
“Although the site presents technical challenges, we are confident in our technical ability to transform it into a thriving community. This project will also create a boost to the local economy by offering opportunities for sub-contractors and apprentices, something we ensure happens across all our sites.
“We look forward to progressing our plans for the site later in the year.”
Nick Spence, planning and estates manager for the Ibstock Group commented: ‘‘We have enjoyed working with the highly professional and proactive team at Breck, and are delighted the land will be used to create a new community in the northern region of the country.
“We also take pride in ensuring we continue the ongoing maintenance and restoration work of the nearby quarry area which will remain part of the Ibstock estate.”
The Ravenhead acquisition comes as Breck expands its presence across the North. It is in the process of opening a new Leeds office as part of its expansion into Yorkshire.
Breck recently submitted plans for its first three schemes in the county for planning permission, all located in Bradford, which together will deliver 107 affordable homes.
Ibstock was advised on the disposal by national planning and development firm, Newmark.