John and Peter Boys were proud to represent B & E Boys at the Pennine Lancashire Housing Development Event which took place at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors on 21st March.
The event was organised by the Pennine Lancashire Local Authorities, the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Its primary purpose was to highlight the many opportunities that exist in the region for investors and developers.
A range of topics were covered during the day, including the strengths of the local economy and the blossoming private/public partnerships that are active across Pennine Lancashire. Much useful information was given to delegates about what it is like to do business in the area and what property companies and investors can expect in terms of proactive planning and development support.
Alongside B & E Boys, other speakers at the event included Nigel Barclay, Head of Investment North from the Home and Communities Agency. John Boys gave an introduction about the work of B & E Boys, and Peter Boys continued with an overview of the Help to Buy scheme and detailed the company’s experience of working with the HCA.
Explanation was given about the vital role the HCA has played in enabling developers such as B & E Boys to deliver much needed new homes for the local community. In being able to access the funds that the HCA provides, SMEs have been able to do much to address the shortage of new homes, such as through Boys’ Whinberry Place development.
Paul Jones, Development Director of Kingswood Homes followed Peter Boys’ presentation by offering another company’s perspective of working with the HCA.
Other speakers during the day included Jim Carter of the LEP and Deputy Chairman of the Eric Wright Group; Harry Catherall, CEO of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, and the chair of Marketing Lancashire, Toby Attard, who is also CEO of Burnley based fabric manufacturers Panaz.
Overall the Pennine Lancashire Development Event was both enlightening and incredibly reassuring. The clear and resounding message of the day was that Pennine Lancashire is most definitely ‘open for business’. Delegates listened to details of the significant investment that has taken place in the region, such as town centre regeneration, the constriuction of business parks, the upgrading of local transport infrastructure, and considerable investment in education.