Langtree and Panattoni have submitted a planning application to develop a major new employment site in south Warrington that will create around 4,100 new high-quality logistics jobs.
The £180m development would provide 288,000 square metres of new employment space if approved by Warrington Borough Council and generate £7.1m a year in new rates for investment in local services.
Six 56 Warrington is on land bounded by junction 20 of the M6 and junction 9 of the M56 motorways. The submission follows a series of well-attended public consultation events and the recent approval by Warrington Borough Council of its Draft Local Plan which has identified the land for employment uses.
The scheme will focus on providing space for logistics businesses, explained John Downes, Langtree’s group chief executive. “It’s where the greatest demand lies and the jobs are much more diverse and better paid than people perhaps realise,” he said.
“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.”
And, he says, it is Langtree’s ambition to ‘go one step further’, ensuring jobs in the local supply chain, too.
“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,” added Mr Downes.
New employment sites are needed to maintain Warrington’s position as one of the UK’s most successful local economies and continue its track record of attracting new employers and jobs to the area, the local council believes. Langtree and Panattoni are bringing forward their proposals in response to Warrington Borough Council’s Draft Local Plan, which has identified a need for 381 hectares (941 acres) of new employment space over the next 20 years.
The application is expected to be heard by Warrington Borough Council’s planning committee in early Summer. If approved there would be an intensive period of work involved before construction could begin, with tenants expected to occupy buildings from Spring 2021.
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