Sectors
Traditionally the company has specialised in commercial development, with particular emphasis on retail, offices and industrial space.
In recent years Maple Grove has developed a particular expertise in the procurement of new public sector buildings for the health and education sectors, as developer, investor and partner and is one of the leading companies operating in this sector.
The company has worked extensively with both the public and private sectors and has a number of longstanding and continuing close working relationships with several public sector organisations and private companies.
Largely through its work on regeneration schemes, Maple Grove has grown its housing activities. In 2008 it acquired the specialist residential developer Robert Hughes Limited, based in Windermere, with whom it was already working in joint venture, in order to expand its residential operations across Lancashire and South Cumbria.
Commercial
In the retail sector the company has gained considerable expertise and experience in the development of large food stores, particularly for Booths and Morrisons and is now actively involved in progressing development opportunities for most of the major food retailers. The company has also established an enviable reputation for award winning, retail led, mixed use town centre schemes such as Wainwright's Yard in Kendal and Marketgate in Ripon.
In the office sector the company has undertaken a number of city centre office developments and out of centre office parks, including Daresbury, in partnership with the De Vere Group, Cheshire Oaks at Ellesmere Port, in partnership with the Church Commissioners, and Crewe Hall Farm at Crewe with the Duchy of Lancaster. It has been selected as development partner by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Blackburn Cathedral on the town's flagship Cathedral Quarter development.
In the industrial sector, Maple Grove has developed two major employment parks in the North West; at Altham near Accrington and at Stone Cross near Haydock. Over a million square feet of manufacturing and distribution space has been developed on these two parks alone.
Many of the developments undertaken by Maple Grove are retained within the Group portfolio.
Residential
In 2004 the Eric Wright Group formed a strategic development relationship with Robert Hughes Limited, an established developer and builder of high quality new build and converted residential property, based in Cumbria. This led to the formation of the joint venture company Applethwaite and in 2008 Robert Hughes and Applethwaite became fully owned by the Eric Wright Group with the aim of increasing the scale of the operation across a wider geographical area.
http://www.applethwaite-homes.co.uk
In 2010 the residential division developed its first social housing scheme in Carnforth for Impact Housing Association. Maple Grove Residential is looking at a number of other similar schemes as part of a continuing diversification of its residential development business.