Huge site earmarked for major employment scheme acquired

A 221-acre site in St Helens has been acquired as part of plans to create a major employment development and rail freight interchange scheme.

Tritax Symmetry has completed the off-market acquisition of the land and is planning to bring forward a c.2.5million sq ft logistics scheme and a new strategic rail freight interchange project (SRFI). Located within the Liverpool City Region's Freeport zone on Junction 22 of the M6, the allocated employment site is known as Parkside East.

The company, which is part of Tritax Big Box REIT, is now preparing a detailed masterplan and will apply for a Development Consent Order (DCO). Tritax Symmetry is also behind the planned Symmtey Park near Widnes which will extend across 37 acres and include 868,000 sq ft of logistics and industrial space.

In the North West ^[3], the company also owns Symmetry Park in Wigan which extends to 134 acres and has the capacity to feature over 1.4 million sq ft of logistics floor space. No details about how many jobs could be created through the new development have been revealed.

This marks the second rail freight interchange project Tritax Symmetry is leading on in the last two years. In Hinckley, Leicestershire, the developer is seeking to bring forward a multi-modal freight interchange and distribution centre.

Andrew Dickman, managing director at Tritax Symmetry, said: "As a business, we have been strategically identifying more sustainable projects which align with our own values. With the recent news that the HS2 ^[4] leg from Birmingham to Manchester has been cancelled, this is a timely public-private sector intervention, that will see significant investment into the Liverpool City Region and the wider infrastructure network.

"Parkside East is a major project and one we believe will be an exemplar in providing greener, more efficient solutions, removing freight from main line stations and in doing so alleviating pressure and freeing up passenger capacity."

Sean Traynor, director of strategic growth at St Helens Borough Council, added: "The adoption of the council's Local Plan in 2022 unlocked Parkside East and I am delighted to see this investment by Tritax Symmetry. We are looking forward to working with them alongside our partners at Liverpool City Region to develop a first-class intermodal strategic rail freight interchange, a key feature which makes Parkside East a development site of regional and national importance."

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority awarded a £24m grant from its Strategic Investment Fund towards the Parkside Link Road project. Mr Rotheram said: "Thanks to devolution, with local leaders working together in the best interests of our communities, we’ve been able to take a leading role in the regeneration of sites like Parkside. I am looking forward to seeing the site become a bustling hub of businesses and opportunity.

"It will form a key part of our Freeport, which has the potential to attract international investment, create more well-paid, highly-skilled jobs for local people and build on our existing strengths. But, for me, it has to mean much more than that. I want to ensure that there is purpose behind this status that fuels greater social mobility, innovation, and inclusion for our whole region."

The site was acquired from a private client. Helen Vickery of Ingham and Yorke advised the vendor. Tritax represented itself.

References

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