Developers press ahead with £180m Warrington logistics site
Developers Langtree and Panattoni have pushed forward with plans to build more than 3m sq ft of logistics and employment space in an £180m project next to the M6 and M56.
Named Six56, the proposals are for seven separate logistics units on a plot at Bradley Hall Farm, which sits between the Grappenhall Lane and Cliff Lane, next to Junction 9 of the M56 and Junction 20 of the M6.
The site has been allocated for development under Warrington’s draft Local Plan as part of a wider 286-acre employment area, forming part of a planned “garden suburb” near the two motorway junctions.
A planning application for Six56 has now been submitted and is expected to go before Warrington’s planning committee in the summer. Subject to consent, the scheme is expected to complete on a phased basis from spring 2021.
Transport and road improvements being proposed include two new roundabouts onto Grappenhall Lane; the relocation of the existing Cliff Lane roundabout; widening of the links to Junction 20 of the M6; and a new shared pedestrian and cycle route connecting to the site.
This will mean any vehicles can access the site directly from the motorway network.
John Downes, chief executive of Langtree, said the scheme would focus on attracting logistics occupiers. The proposals are expected to create around 4,100 new jobs in the logistics sector, along with £7.1m in rateable income for the local authority.
“It’s where the greatest demand lies and the jobs are much more diverse and better paid than people perhaps realise,” said Downes.
“The average salary in the sector is £28,000 and in a scheme of this type there will be a wide variety of roles available, from warehouse operatives to supply chain managers and highly skilled technicians. This development is about ensuring that Warrington remains a competitive and relevant economy as the world of work evolves.”
“The impact of our investment will be magnified if we can engage local suppliers in the construction and operation of the scheme. We are therefore committed to working with partners to ensure as far as possible, that contracts are placed with local firms.”
