A development in the Bold area of St Helens could bring 1,900 jobs to the area.
Omega West will be home to a large Home Bargains distribution centre, alongside a number of businesses including Asda, Amazon and Travis Perkins based at Omega Business Park, Warrington.
As part of a three-phase development at Omega West by Miller Developments, ground preparation has started on unit one to be occupied by the Merseyside-based firm, Home Bargains.
READ MORE: Suspect named after more than £5,000 of damage to train crossing
A statement released on the St Helens Council website says: "Home Bargains will make one of the units their home, creating an average of 1,230 full time jobs when at full capacity. The plans also include the development of a further three units on the land which borders on to the existing Omega South site in Warrington."
A reserved matters planning application has now been submitted to St Helens Borough Council for unit two which, if granted, would see a new logistics building constructed on land immediately south of Home Bargains, with an end user interested which has the potential to create 1,000 new jobs.
While later this year, a planning application is expected to be submitted for unit three which has also attracted interest in an occupier and could create between 400 to 500 new jobs.
Commenting on a recent site visit, Councillor Richard McCauley, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, said: “This project will bring in vital jobs that will make a lasting positive impact to so many of our residents’ lives – not least on the construction side which will include apprenticeships as well as social value aspect, with the developer agreeing to go into local schools to raise aspirations by promoting the many career opportunities in the construction industry.
“When I spoke at the planning inquiry, I mentioned the fact that TJ Morris, the group behind Home Bargains, had said they would support communities like Bold and Thatto Heath which are close to this site and focus their recruitment for those who are out of work in those areas – and they’ve already invested heavily in our borough, becoming the new principal shirt sponsors of Saints.
“With so much happening now in the way of regeneration projects, these are really exciting times for the borough. We promised sustainable inclusive growth with new jobs and that’s exactly what we’re delivering.”
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
