Murphy’s existing depot in Golborne had reached maximum capacity. Workshops were undersized, yard space constrained and the elevated embankment created a difficult relationship with neighbouring homes. Operations were dispersed across multiple sites, limiting efficiency and undermining the ambition to bring northern teams together under one roof.

The project began with a clear objective: modernise Murphy’s facilities, consolidate operations and future-proof the business, while demonstrating that development within the Green Belt could deliver tangible public benefit for Golborne.

The design approach was shaped by responsibility — to the Green Belt, to neighbouring residents and to Murphy’s operational needs. Early engagement with planning officers and the local community informed a masterplan that reduced visual impact and positioned built elements carefully away from sensitive residential edges.

The workshop and yard are arranged to minimise dominance within the landscape, while the office forms a civic frontage to Wigan Road and screens operational activity from neighbouring homes. Strategic bunding, reinforced hedgerows and new planting structure the site, soften views and re-establish a defined settlement edge.

Public consultation reinforced the importance of environmental enhancement and community value as integral to the scheme.

The scheme brings together a purpose-built office, a modern workshop and associated yard space, creating a single, future-proofed northern hub for Murphy’s infrastructure operations. The office is organised around a central social heart that promotes collaboration and strengthens the “One Murphy” ethos.

Alongside the employment campus, a publicly accessible nature park provides enhanced wetlands, woodland and accessible paths, opening previously private land to the community while delivering biodiversity net gain.

The result is a carefully balanced development that modernises industrial operations while restoring landscape structure, improving neighbourly relationships and investing meaningfully in Golborne’s long-term future.