Cheshire and Warrington strategic sites

'Oven ready' development opportunities at a glance

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Birchwood Park, Warrington

Already established as Warrington's premier business park, extending over 100 acres, Birchwood Park is home to 150 companies and employs more than 5,000 people. Owned and managed by commercial property specialist MEPC, the site has a variety of opportunities for new occupiers from start-ups needing 100 sq ft to a 500,000 sq ft warehouse, planning exists for office and industrial uses.

On-site services include conference and meeting rooms, Starbucks cafes, restaurant, gym, nursery, social events, allotments and free bus links to Birchwood train station.

• Outline planning exists for 800,000 sq ft office and industrial
• Options from 100 sq ft to to 500,000 sq ft
• Located close to M62 J11 and within five miles of Warrington town centre
• 2.6m people of working age within a 30 minute rive of the site, including the university cities of Manchester and Liverpool

Lingley Mere, Warrington

Business park off the M62 with 380,000 sq ft of office accommodation set in 100 acres of manicured parkland. Over 3,000 people are employed at Lingley Mere. The first phase, called Clearwater, attracted United Utilities, Wates Construction and North West Fire Control.

The expansion masterplan from joint venture partners United Utilities and Muse Developments is for a further 1.25m sq ft of commercial space.

A variety of existing planning permissions exist, giving Lingley Mere genuine oven-ready status. Construction of a restaurant, coffee bar and shop is underway.

• Planning consent for 400,000 sq ft office space
• Planning also approved for 150,000 sq ft industrial space
• Detailed planning in place for hotel
• Located next to J8 of the M62 and near J21a M6

Gemini 8, Warrington

The Gemini employment area in the North of Warrington is already well known for being home to some of the biggest retail units in the region, with Ikea, Marks & Spencer and Toys R Us drawing thousands of shoppers every week. Gemini 8 is a 14-acre site located next to the existing developments and has already seen phase one developed, following pre-lets to Starbucks, Travelodge, Subway, Harvester and Frankie & Bennys. These amenities run along the southern edge covering two acres at it its entrance and junction with the main route to the M62.

Planning exists for 250,000 sq ft of B1, B2 and B8 use and owner Marshall CPD offers an in-house design and build team, and units are available either on a leasehold or freehold basis.

Midpoint 18, Middlewich

Owned and developed by Pochin Developments, Midpoint 18 is one of the largest development sites in the region, near Middlewich at J18 of the M6. The site is served by Pochin Way which is set to become part of the Middlewich Eastern Bypass for which funding is being sought following an initial £4.1m grant from the Regional Growth Fund. Occupiers include Tesco, Wincanton and Kuehne & Nagel. Phase three will complete the development with planning already secured for 600,000 sq ft.

• Existing flagship employment site
• Two miles from the M6 J18
• Detailed planning exists for 15 office units across 7.5 acres, units from 1,456 sq ft to 7,500 sq ft
• Existing consent for 350,000 sq ft of industrial space over three plots
• Full utility supply, ADSL enabled

Hooton Park, Ellesmere Port

A partly developed site next to the M53 in Ellesmere Port, offering a variety of opportunities for businesses. Allocated as a strategic employment site, this former airfield is currently home to a Vauxhall manufacturing facility.

Two existing units are available immediately, including a 400,000 sq ft distribution unit and a 70,000 sq ft unit which would be leased from Vauxhall. A further 25 acres is earmarked for development and planning exists for vehicle distribution.

• Brownfield site with planning for industry and distribution
• Accessible from J6 or J7 M53
• Already operational, infrastructure is in place
• Suitable for B1,B2 and B8, particularly related to the car industry

Omega, Warrington

Being delivered by Omega Warrington, a public-private joint venture between Miller Developments, KUC Properties, the Homes & Communities Agency and supported by Warrington Council. The 575-acre former airbase is split into Omega North and Omega South, bisected by the M62. The northern part of the scheme has already welcomed Brakes, Travis Perkins and Hermes. Two plots remain in Omega North, 2.9 acres and 3.2 acres respectively, both with capacity for up to 50,000 sq ft logistics and manufacturing accommodation. The larger Omega South site has existing permissions for logistics and office development, and the masterplan is in the process of being updated.

• Existing development, utilities and infrastructure in place
• Omega North 1.6m sq ft logistics space
• Outline planning and immediate availability for over six acres
• Omega South planning permission for 1.5m sq ft of office accommodation and supporting ancillary development. Permission also for 600,000 sq ft logistics centre
• Freehold available

Chester Central Business Quarter

A key project for the city of Chester, and managed by Muse Developments, the Central Business Quarter includes three main strands: a new Waitrose, new residential development along the Shropshire Union Canal, and office space.

The 3.5 acre site, south east of the city's railway station, will have the capacity to deliver 500,000 sq ft of office space. The developer is keen to start work on the first part of the plan, a six-storey office building which recently received full planning, as soon as the first pre-let is signed.

• Development opportunity immediately available
• Walking distance of Chester railway station, within minutes of the M53 and M56 by car
• Detailed planning consent for 76,000 sq ft office building
• Outline planning for another 400,000 sq ft
• All utilities and infrastructure available

Basford, Crewe

Basford East and West are greenfield sites to the south of Crewe, identified in the Cheshire East draft development strategy for mixed employment use and residential. Set to benefit from the new Crewe Green Link Road, planned for completion in 2015 to provide access to the M6 and A500, the site has more than 500,000 people of working age within a 30-minute drive.

The proposal is for office and industrial. In addition around 1,000 homes would be built, along with a district centre, primary school, primary care centre, and hotel. Any development would be expected to contribute to road infrastructure improvements.

• 98 hectare greenfield employment site
• Existing full permission for 400,000 sq ft warehouse
• J16 of the M6 motorway, access to A500, mainline rail connection at Crewe
• Potential for provision of sidings for rail freight
• New 33kv sub station in place
• New foul water drain would be required
• Available immediately for design-and-build

New Bridge Road, Ellesmere Port

A 33-hectare local authority owned site identified and allocated for employment use by Cheshire West & Chester Council, New Bridge Road in Ellesmere Port has been mooted as the ideal location for a new green technology park. The council allocated the site for office, light and general industrial, and warehousing, subject to planning.

This former industrial site was reclaimed from a local oil refinery by the council using a derelict land grant. The site is subject to design standards and sustainability criteria, including relocation of a colony of great crested newts, which would need to be incorporated into any scheme.

• 81-acre site on outskirts of Ellesmere Port
• Seven vacant industrial units at New Port Business Park
• Cleared industrial area ready for development
• Cloister Way industrial units, some vacant plots
• Access via J10 of the M53 and J9 of the M53
• Ellesmere Port train station two miles north
• Some land serviced with utilities, not all

Calver Park, Warrington

Owned by the Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund, part of the UK's largest local authority pension fund, Calver Park offers new build options for general industry, storage and distribution of up to 100,000 sq ft. It neighbours Winwick Quay, an existing business park of 400,000 sq ft.

• 16-acre brownfield site
• Located close to J9 of the M62
• All utilities are available on site
• Development is subject to planning

Capricorn Business Park, Sandbach

Owned by W&S Sandbach, the 20-acre greenfield site is allocated for employment use by Cheshire East Council.

Potential uses include hotel, light industrial and office space. Neighbouring sites have also been identified for residential, increasing both the potential workforce and customer base. A recent grant of £3.8m will help fund improved access at J17 of the M6. Part of the land is, however, a site of biological interest and subject to wildlife orders, and the south west portion includes a former waste disposal site.

• 20-acre greenfield employment site
• Located off J17 of the M6 motorway with mainline rail connection six miles away at Crewe
• Currently in agricultural use, development principle established in expired planning consents, outline planning application has been submitted
• Good connectivity as the area is ASDL enabled