Nuclear advisor opens new HQ

North West Projects, which provides construction engineering design services to the nuclear industry, has opened a 30,000 sq ft at Rutherford Point in Matrix Park, part of the Buckshaw Village development in Chorley.

The building designed by VA Consulting contains a café, conference facilities, a gym and meeting spaces as well as offices.

North West Projects will sublet 10,000 sq ft to other companies with a nuclear or technical focus. The company has also secured planning permission for a further 20,000 sq ft of offices on the site.

The company is moving from Ackhurst Business Park, Chorley.

Frank Dalton, managing director at North West Projects, said: "These new facilities further strengthen our capabilities and provides an ideal platform for our long-term development. We worked closely with South Ribble Borough Council to identify a suitable site as we grew out of our existing offices at Ackhurst Park, Chorley.

"The location at Matrix Park meets our business needs perfectly; it affords us easy access to the motorway network which is crucial as we operate across the UK and provides our staff with a high specification workplace in a modern business environment."

North West Projects has grown in the past six years from 20 to 160 staff. The move is anticipated to create 60 new jobs in the area over the next three years.

The new office was officially opened this week by Dr Dame Sue Ion, an advisor to the government on science and nuclear industry issues.