Pupils at Harrop Fold secondary school in Little Hulton competed to rename Network Space’s nearby industrial development, with Raven Locks chosen as the worthy winner.

Members of the student council put forward several potential titles for the 14-acre site located off Ravenscraig Road, with a joint effort by 16-year-old Jack Higham and 15-year-old Luke O'Sullivan selected by the industrial developer and investor.

Previously known as Ashtons Field, the scheme’s new name was influenced by the area’s heritage, with the pupils combining the road name with a reference to the network of historic underground canals that boarder the site.

For their creativity and hard work, Network Space donated £200 to Harrop Fold’s student council, also awarding Jack and Luke with a £50 Amazon voucher each. Joe Burnett, Development Director at Network Space, also joined the school’s recent World of Work careers day, where he raised awareness of the many types of job opportunities in commercial property.

Network Space has recently completed site enabling works and is now working to bring forward the development of a 172,000 sq ft multi-unit industrial scheme with a reserved matters planning application due to be submitted later this year. The scheme will comprise six separate units ranging from 10,000 sq ft to 60,000 sq ft delivered speculatively in a single phase.

Situated just 1.5 miles from junctions 3 and 4 of the M61, once completed, Raven Locks will create much needed modern, high quality workspace accommodation for a range of businesses. 

Joe Burnett, Development Director at Network Space, said:

“It’s important to us that our developments not only add value to the communities in which they are situated, but are a part of them too, which is why we wanted to get Harrop Fold onboard to help choose a new name for the scheme. The site had lain redundant for several decades and we felt it needed a new identity to mark the recent progress made with the project.

“All of us at Network Space would like to say a big thank you for the effort put in by the participating students. With a number of fantastic suggestions, it was no easy choice, but we thought it was entirely appropriate, as the chosen name does, to acknowledge the site’s heritage as we now look to the future.”

Mr Ince, senior teacher and student futures lead said:

"Harrop Fold Student Council members were very proud in having the honour of choosing the historic name of Raven Locks for this new commercial endeavour within their local community. Both Jack and Luke are fantastic ambassadors for our school, and it is fitting that they receive this award in their final year."

Network Space has been providing industrial workspace, office and leisure schemes for over 35 years and has a development pipeline that extends to 2.5 million sq ft over the next five years.