Botany Bay: Chorley's iconic destination to reopen its doors for the first time since 2019 for business showcase event

Chorley’s Botany Bay build will reopen to the public next week – as work progresses on a major development at the landmark retail and leisure venue. The mill, just off the M61, will host Choose Chorley for Business for the first time since the building closed in 2019.

The event – which will be hosted by BBC North West presenter Dave Guest – is billed as an opportunity for businesses across Chorley to “join together to share successes and explore innovation”.

The free event is set to be attended by a range of Chorley’s businesses with a wide variety of different sectors, backgrounds, and specialisms represented, giving them a rare opportunity to mix, share, teach, instruct, learn and network. Chorley Council’s support partners will also be in attendance to help unlock the town’s potential. It takes place on Wednesday, April 19 between 6pm and 9pm and is organised by FIREM in partnership with Chorley Council and Choose Chorley for Business.

What is happening with Botany Bay?

The future of the iconic Botany Bay site in Chorley finally appears to have been settled - more than three years after it closed to the public. A new business park is to be built on the plot - after previous plans to turn it into an outlet shopping village were abandoned during the depths of the pandemic in November 2020.

Chorley Council’s planning committee has given the go-ahead to the latest proposal, which will see the construction of 10 new buildings, eight of which will provide employment space, with the remaining two given over to retail or food and drink outlets. The existing historic mill building will be retained and did not form part of the new planning application. Permission was granted for the scheme subject to a raft of modifications to - and monitoring of - the highway network in the area in order to ensure that the development does not cause traffic problems at nearby busy junctions.

How to book tickets for the Botany Bay event?

Spaces at the event must be booked in advance through the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chorley-celebrating-innovation-event-19th-april-2023-tickets-537720916737