Mersey Life July 2022 | Page 19

STEVE ROTHERAM ANNOUNCES £ 15.5M INVESTMENT TO CREATE 900 JOBS ON FORMER HALEWOOD INTERNATIONAL HUYTON HQ SITE

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STEVE ROTHERAM ANNOUNCES £ 15.5M INVESTMENT TO CREATE 900 JOBS ON FORMER HALEWOOD INTERNATIONAL HUYTON HQ SITE
Steve Rotheram , Mayor of the Liverpool City Region , has announced a £ 15.5m loan expected to create nearly 1,000 jobs and enable the transformation of the former Halewood International HQ in Huyton .
Under the plan , Network Space , who acquired the 44,000 square metre Sovereign Distillery site when Halewood International closed its Huyton HQ in August 2020 , will create a multi-let industrial estate aimed at light industrial , logistics and SME occupiers .
Combined Authority funding for the project is made up of a £ 6.75m loan from the Liverpool City Region Urban Development Fund ( UDF ) and £ 8.7m from the Chrysalis Fund , which is managed on behalf of the Combined Authority by igloo Investment Management .
Speaking about the investment Mayor Rotheram said : “ Devolution is all about making sure that important decisions affect our region are taken locally by people who live in and understand the needs of our area . It means we can ensure that every pound we spend goes toward projects that will make a tangible difference to the lives of the 1.6 million people who call it home .
“ Investing in a project like this , which will create almost 1,000 jobs for local people and bring this site back into use , really is a no brainer . It will give a big boost to Knowsley and the wider city region economy , and the returns it will generate means that we ’ ll be able to reap the rewards and reinvest in new projects .”
Councillor Janette Williamson , Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Growth , said : “ Our aim as a Combined Authority is to create the circumstances for our economy to grow and provide goodquality jobs for local people . Providing this investment , which will come back to us with interest , we will do just that , and should help create nearly 1000 jobs for local people .
“ Repurposing the existing buildings wherever possible and using a range of low carbon technologies in their refurbishment will also save over 2000 tonnes of carbon , compared with knocking it all down and rebuilding . This is the kind of sustainable development we should be supporting as a Combined Authority .”
Cllr Graham Morgan , Leader of Knowsley Council , added : “ This funding will help to accelerate the repurposing of this site into a multi-let industrial estate which will not only bring an empty space back into use , but it will also provide exactly the type of space that businesses are currently seeking . This will ultimately lead to job creation for local people , and the further strengthening of the local economy .”
More than 2000 tonnes of carbon will be saved by creating the new industrial estate through part demolition , part refurbishment and part new build strategy using sustainable construction methods in tandem with adopting low carbon initiatives including EV charging , potential solar panels and low energy lighting .
The repurposing proposals will be undertaken in two phases ; the planning application for Phase 1 has already been submitted and is due for determination in the next couple of months with Phase 2 planning expected to be submitted in early 2023 . merseylife . com 19