Priority Sites - Halton

Date: 22 Jun 2009

Halton Borough Council is the latest occupier on Widnes' Turnstone Business Park, having leased almost 5,000 sq ft of offices for two separate departments.

The council's Gateway team, which is responsible for progressing the Mersey Gateway bridge project, has relocated from Runcorn into a 1,495 sq ft office unit; while the Community Safety Team has moved into 3,325 sq ft of offices.

The latest lettings now mean that over half of the hybrid and office units on the 60,000 sq ft Priority Sites development are either sold, let or under offer. Of the 13 offices, five are now occupied or under offer, while just one of the six hybrid units remains for sale.

Halton Borough Council's Chief Executive David Parr said: "This shows our commitment to the business park. The new offices are modern and we have the added bonus of being within sight of the bridge's location."

Development manager for Priority Sites, Phil Haslam comments: "Having worked closely with Halton Borough Council to bring the business park to fruition, it is particularly welcoming to see two of the departments now becoming occupiers."

Dave Owen, integration and policy manager for the Gateway Team adds: "Having taken an initial three-year lease on the unit we now have more space than in our previous accommodation, which will allow us to gear up as we move closer to work starting on the new bridge."

The council teams are set to join a host of occupiers on the Business Park, including the schemes developer, Priority Sites, which relocated its North West operation from premises in Speke Garston, in January.

Bill Skilki, Chief Executive of Priority Sites, comments; "We have been delighted with the success of the scheme to date and moving our North West base to Widnes seemed like the natural choice.

"Having firmly established our reputation as a catalyst for regeneration across Merseyside, the move to such a prominent location on the Widnes Waterfront has given us a strategically located base from which to operate across Merseyside and the North West. The move also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the scheme and the town."

Turnstone Business Park is located at the entrance to the Widnes Waterfront regeneration area, on the banks of the Mersey and offers a mix of self-contained office and hybrid units ranging in size from 1,174 to 6,616 sq ft.

Chief Executive of Halton Borough Council, David Parr with Chief Executive of Priority Sites, Bill Skilki

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