Business incubator attracts interest

THE Base – Warrington’s brand new, £8.5 million office space developed by Warrington & Co on behalf of the borough council – has only been open for 10 weeks and already interest from companies wanting to take space within the building is encouragingly high.
Two companies have already moved in – and others are currently agreeing terms, according to Steve Park, managing director at Warrington & Co.
The Base is an incubator for businesses offering space to develop, grow and expand. Occupation is therefore tailored to be transient and flexible.
While the building will probably never be 100 per cent occupied, the amount of “churn”  envisaged will keep the building in a state of constant ebb and flow, says Mr Park, writing in the Warrington & Co newsletter.
Progress is also being made on the £107 million re-development of the Time Square and Warrington Market area of the town centre, formerly known as the Bridge Street Regeneration Scheme.
The scheme will retain the name Time Square and the regeneration of the area will mark an exciting new chapter for Warrington town centre, says Mr Park.
The scheme is progressing well with planning approval granted last month for the construction of the scheme’s new, 1,160 space multi storey car-park.
Construction of the University Technical College Warrington is also well underway.
The £10 million educational facility that sits adjacent to The Base has been enjoying a high level of interest from students looking to enrol when the new term commences in September.
More than 180 offers have been accepted so far and many more are expected in the coming weeks.
To the south of the town centre work progresses at a pace on the Southern Gateway through Wire Regeneration Limited, the joint venture established late in 2013 between Langtree and Warrington Borough Council.
Significant works have improved and upgraded Wharf Industrial Estate and master planning for Southern Gateway is now complete.
There’s also been considerable progress on the £160 million Warrington Waterfront with Warrington Waterfront Central Link – a bridge across the River Mersey set to be progressed later in 2017.
Finally, the second phase of Skyline Drive is now complete which connects the Royal Mail depot at Lingley Green Avenue through to Junction 8 of the M62.
Mr Park adds: “Spring time is all about positive new beginnings and growth, and as is clearly evident, there is an abundance of very positive growth occurring all over Warrington.”