Lancashire property company Group First buys Northlight development in Brierfield

The landmark Northlight development in Brierfield has changed hands after a Lancashire property company acquired the freehold of the historic former cotton mill site.

Group First has bought the seven-acre Northlight complex from PEARL, the joint venture between Pendle Borough Council and Barnfield Investment Properties which led the £43m transformation of the former Brierfield Mill.

The acquisition marks a new chapter for the Grade II-listed site, which has been transformed from a former industrial mill into a mixed-use development providing business, residential, storage, hospitality, leisure and educational facilities.

Group First already operates four businesses from Northlight – Business First, Residential First, Store First and Black Sheep Coffee.

The 380,000 sq ft development is also home to Burnley FC in the Community's Leisure Box, Lancashire Adult Learning and arts organisation In-Situ.

Originally built in 1838 alongside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, with views towards Pendle Hill, Brierfield Mill was once a major centre of Lancashire's cotton industry.

The mill closed in 2007 before plans were developed to give the historic buildings a new purpose while retaining their industrial heritage.

PEARL's vision was to create a destination where people could live, work, learn and enjoy leisure activities.

Today, the site includes serviced offices, residential apartments and secure self-storage facilities, alongside its coffee shop and wider community facilities.

Toby Whittaker, managing director of Group First, said: "Northlight is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when historic buildings are given a new purpose.

"PEARL has played a hugely important role in bringing this ambitious regeneration project to life, and we're delighted to be taking the next step in Northlight's journey.

"A big thanks to Tim Webber from Barnfield, without whom none of this would have been possible.

"Having Business First, Residential First, Store First and Black Sheep Coffee all operating from the same development is something we're incredibly proud of.

"It shows how different uses can work together to create a thriving community and a destination that has something to offer everyone.

"We're looking forward to building on everything that has already been achieved and continuing to invest in Northlight's future."

The acquisition is intended to build on the regeneration work carried out by PEARL and secure the next phase in the development's future.

Northlight has become one of Lancashire's prominent examples of heritage-led regeneration, bringing a historic part of Pendle's industrial past back into use while creating opportunities for businesses, employment, housing and leisure.