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Developers Line Up For Waterfront Ground-Breaking

Source: Widnes Waterfront

Developers which are helping to transform Widnes Waterfront into a 21st century business park have
celebrated the first physical steps to the realisation of the site’s regeneration.

Bosses of Priority Sites were on hand to turn the first sod of earth which will in just 12 months time be home to 90,000 sq ft (8,360 sq m) of high quality commercial office space. Construction work will start soon at their 60,000 sq ft (5,575 sq m) hi-tech hybrid accommodation which sits alongside Langtree Group’s 30,000 sq ft (2,787 sq m) development of managed office space - both of which have received full planning permission.

On an adjacent site, Manchester based Property Alliance Group have officially marked their own start on site for their development of a brand new 45,000 sq ft B&Q store with garden centre and builders
yard, which will replace the current store situated on Ashley Way.

In addition, some 50,000 sq ft of industrial accommodation will be constructed on a speculative basis. Russells Construction has been awarded the contracts and has started construction work on site which will be completed in Autumn 2007.

Under the watchful eyes of officials from Halton Borough Council, the developers will now press ahead with full-scale remediation and construction on their respective sites. Councillor Rob Polhill said: “This is a great
day in the future of the Waterfront and one that we have been working to for a long time. Over the coming months the people of the borough will see this site change dramatically.”

“From a post-industrial wasteland into something which they can be proud. The Waterfront is a key gateway to Widnes and it will help provide a positive and forward looking feeling that will reverberate across the Waterfront and the borough generally.” Development Director at Priority Sites, John Boanas said: “We’re delighted to be making such a positive contribution to the regeneration of the Waterfront by providing some top quality office premises. We are already receiving enquiries from prospective occupiers, and we’re very confident that when completed this development will soon become a thriving hub of commercial activity that will have a significant impact on the local economy and generally boost the prosperity of the area.”

Nick Pentith from Property Alliance Group said: “We are obviously delighted to have secured a pre-let to B&Q and we are confident our speculative industrial units will all be let prior to completion.” Full-scale construction work at the site is set to start imminently.

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