St Helens waves through 1.6m sq ft industrial
Alongside joint venture partner Langtree, the council can now push ahead with phase two of the redevelopment of Parkside Colliery in Newton-le-Willows, which includes manufacturing space as well as general industrial accommodation.
St Helens Council granted planning permission for the 1.6m sq ft employment scheme, located within the Liverpool City Region Freeport, last night. The decision means Parkside Regeneration – the JV the authority has with Langtree – now has consent for a combined 2.4m sq ft at the 500-acre former colliery.
“We’re on site with the clearance works for the project’s first phase and this consent will give added momentum to our work on local supply chain engagement, labour recruitment and schools engagement,” said John Downes, executive chair of Langtree.
Downes is enthusiastic about the manufacturing space that could feature in phase two.
“This will boost the variety, type and earnings potential of jobs on site and enable occupiers to tap into another facet of the area’s skills-base,” he said.
“St Helens, and Newton le Willows in particular, is a manufacturing heartland and the perfect place to bring advanced manufacturing and engineering jobs.”
The scheme’s second phase is expected to add £70m a year to the borough’s economic output, according to the joint venture.
The application for phase two was a hybrid one with detailed consent sought for the infrastructure and enabling works, while outline permission was sought for the buildings.
Cllr Richard McCauley, cabinet member for regeneration at St Helens Council said: “The Parkside Regeneration is a truly transformational development that has been decades in the making.
“It will generate lasting opportunities for the people of Newton-le-Willows, St Helens, and for the wider Liverpool City Region as its forms a core part of the LCR Freeport.”
Spawforths is the planning consultant for the scheme, with Curtins advising on highways. Chroma is the project manager, Fletcher Rae the architect, and TPM Landscape the landscape architects. Cundall are the structural and civil engineers.
To learn more about the project search reference P/2024/0419/HYEIA on St Helens Council’s planning portal.
Great news. Credit to whoever stuck their necks out to include manufacturing space. Skills and high wages.
By Yicker
Echo the thoughts of Yicker on the importance of manufacturing space within this Freeport site, which I suspect would have met with some resistance from the promotor as default logistics would be far easier to profit from here. The previously muted logistics levy on Freeport sites would also assist in that regard, deterring logistics operations from simply relocating from elsewhere to sweep in on the attractive Freeport Tax Site occupier incentives that are genuinely needed to secure manufacturing investment. Lets see if the use split and gateway policies for access to the incentives are honoured.
By Saint
Looking forward to the endless whining and moaning from the local NIMBYs who have been willing this to fail. Best rail location in the entire North West meant there should have been no chance of that happening. Should be even more successful than the Daventry site near to Rugby and the M1/M6.
By Sintelliner