Halton Borough Council  - Development Plans

• Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus (DSIC)

• The Mersey Multimodal Gateway - 3MG

• The New Mersey Gateway project

• The Heath

• Widnes Waterfront

• Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus

The confidence and ambition of the Borough of Halton is manifest in the current range and scope of major infrastructure projects and initiatives to invest in the human capital of the borough.

For example:
 

• The New Mersey Gateway project will involve the creation of a new £431 million bridge across the Mersey, between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes. The creation of the new bridge, 1.5 kilometres to the east of the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge, will bring about significant improvements to regional transport links and will kick start a major 20 year regeneration programme. It is estimated that 4,640 new jobs will be created through direct employment, regeneration activity and inward investment, which will in turn generate an estimated £61.9 million a year in Gross Value Added by 2030.
• 3MG is an innovative rail-enabled logistics hub offering a completely bespoke solution to meet customer’s logistics needs. It is currently undergoing a multi million pound expansion that will provide 3.5 million sq. ft. of new warehousing and create 5,000 new jobs.
• Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus (DSIC) is one of only two national science and innovation campuses in the UK and is a world-class location for high-tech business and leading edge science. It provides a unique environment for innovation and business growth. Over the next decade, the DSIC campus will expand southwards to meet Daresbury Park, identified by Price Waterhouse Cooper as having one of the best ‘offers’ in the North West. The combined site will consist of science park facilities for high-tech SMEs and single occupier buildings for larger companies, together with public sector research facilities, including world-class large science facilities, technical skills academies and national and international research centres.
• Widnes Waterfront is a multi-million pound programme which will bring about the total regeneration of over 200 acres of former industrial land on the banks of the River Mersey. It is anticipated that in excess of £70 million of investment will transform the area into a commercial and tourism development site of regional significance, in a stunning riverside setting.

Halton Borough Council has put together an innovative partnership to deliver a broad range of employment and workforce related programmes in Widnes and Runcorn. Halton Employment Partnership (HEP) is a single point of contact, accessible to both local employers and local people, utilising the expertise of various employment, learning and skills agencies, to offer a seamless ‘one stop shop’ approach to the delivery of pre-recruitment services, skills training, apprenticeships and workforce development services.

Agencies already committed to the Halton Employment Partnership include Halton Borough Council, Job Centre Plus, Riverside College, Warrington Collegiate, Sector Skills Councils, and the Learning and Skills Council, among others.

Planned Developments

Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus (DSIC)

One of only two national science and innovation campuses in the UK, and now one of the UK's new Economic Zones, the campus is a world-class location for high-tech business and cutting edge science, providing a unique environment for innovation and business growth.

Over the next decade, the DSIC campus will expand southwards to meet Daresbury Park, identified by Price Waterhouse Cooper as having one of the best ‘offers’ in the North West. The combined site will consist of science park facilities for high-tech SMEs, single occupier buildings for larger companies, and public sector research facilities, including world-class large science facilities, technical skills academies and national and international research centres.

The Mersey Multimodal Gateway - 3MG

3MG is an innovative rail-enabled logistics hub offering a completely bespoke solution to meet customer’s logistics needs. It is currently undergoing a multi million pound expansion that will provide 3.5 million sq. ft. of new warehousing and create 5,000 new jobs.

3MG will also have rail access from the West Coast Main Line, an operational intermodal terminal facility, high bay warehousing, and 750,000 sq ft of existing distribution sheds, with outline consent for a total of 1.8m sq ft of new buildings, rising eventually to 3.5m sq ft.

The New Mersey Gateway project

The New Mersey Gateway project will involve the creation of a new £431 million bridge across the Mersey, between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes. The creation of the new bridge, 1.5 kilometres to the east of the existing Silver Jubilee Bridge, will bring about significant improvements to regional transport links and will kick start a major 20 year regeneration programme. It is estimated that 4,640 new jobs will be created through direct employment, regeneration activity and inward investment, which will in turn generate an estimated £61.9 million a year in Gross Value Added by 2030.

The Heath

Eight plots will be developed within the Heath’s existing mature landscaped environment, delivering state-of-the-art, self-contained office and laboratory premises, with car parking.

The new buildings will incorporate the latest technology and are designed to cater for the needs of future businesses – ensuring sustainability and energy efficiency.

Visit The Heath website for further details.

Widnes Waterfront

The Widnes Waterfront has received a multi-million pound investment for a regeneration programme. More than 200 acres of former industrial land on the banks of the River Mersey will be developed, creating over 1,100 jobs and attracting further investment and other revenue into the region.

The project received £6.2m in European Regional Development Funding, £6.6m from the Northwest Development Agency, and approximately £3.5m of Neighbourhood Renewal Funding and Halton Borough Council funds. The programme is six years in.

The development will attract an estimated £70 million of investment into the area, and make it an important commercial and tourism centre in the region.

For more information, please visit the Widnes Waterfront website.

Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus

The next phase of development at Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus is the plan to build a grow-on facility for larger and more established companies. This is the first step in an ambitious 30 year masterplan being progressed to expand across a 300 ha site creating a 'technology village' and a home to some 10,000-15,000 people working in science and technology.