Peel Acquires Hulton Park Estate

The Peel Group, one of the leading infrastructure, transport and real estate investment companies in the UK has acquired Hulton Park Estate in Lancashire for an undisclosed sum.

Despite other areas of the industry seeing a decline, the agricultural property market has remained buoyant throughout the recession and Peel remains committed to investment in this sector and is delighted to add the Hulton Park Estate to its portfolio.

The Estate is close to J5 of the M61 and was acquired in four lots and comprises 713 acres of park and agricultural land, 211 acres of attractive woodland and lakes, six farms and seven residential properties within its 1000 acre site. The Estate includes the site of the former Hulton Hall which was demolished in 1958.

The park land is described by the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest as ‘An early 19th century landscape park, with plantations by John Webb, and the remains of pleasure grounds and a kitchen garden of the same period’.

The Hulton Family occupation of the Hulton Park Estate is documented to have been since 1167, although there is evidence that the Hultons were there as early as 989. It is reputed to be the lengthiest uninterrupted occupation of any UK estate and the Estate has never previously been sold. It is also the site of the Pretoria Pit disaster of 1910, one of the worst coal mining disasters to hit Lancashire.

Louise Morrissey, Director of Land and Planning said, “.Hulton Park is a fantastic property with a lot of history which we believe strengthens and complements our existing agricultural portfolio. There is tremendous synergy with our existing land holdings in this area. We are aware that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the Pretoria Pit disaster. As the new custodians of the estate we fully intend to support the memorial events and we are currently in discussion with the organisers to establish how we can help.”