Marks & Spencer get go-ahead for massive Ellesmere Port store

MARKS and Spencer has been given the green light to press ahead with their massive new flagship store at Ellesmere Port.

The new store would be the company’s largest development in the UK outside London, and create around 350 jobs.

Plans for the 150,000 square feet near Cheshire Oaks were the subject of a public enquiry in June.

The company’s planning application was called in by the Secretary of State following objections from several neighbouring authorities, including Liverpool and the former Chester City and Cheshire County Councils.
Today the leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cllr Mike Jones, said: “This is wonderful news for Ellesmere Port- and the whole region.
“Not only will it mean 350 new jobs for an area which desperately needs them but there could also be a considerable spin off for local firms servicing the new development.”

Despite opposition from other quarters the new authority has backed the scheme from its inception, regarding the plans as a vital part of the regeneration of Ellesmere Port.

“There were those who had doubts because of the likely impact on Chester and other area’s but M & S have given guarantees about the future of the Chester shops and this is a flagship store which will undoubtedly draw people from all over the country.

“We believe that many of those people will want to visit Chester as well and that the city will actually benefit presence of the only M & S store of its type outside London.

Cllr Jones added that the superstore would also hopefully have a close relationship with the nearby West Cheshire College which offers courses in the retail industry.

Pioneer House Welcomes New Tenants

DBH Pioneer House welcomes three multi-national organisations to its premises, recently adding Abitibi Consolidated Inc, Palm Recycling and Cabot Corporation to their list of tenants.

The most recent addition to Pioneer House, Ellesmere Port’s high spec business centre is Abitibi Consolidated Inc - a leader in newsprint and commercial printing who are headquartered in Montreal, Canada have found a home for their UK based sales team.

This move coincides with the relocation of Palm Recycling Ltd.a subsidiary of the German Palm Group who have recently opened the world’s largest newsprint machine in Kings Lynn, Norfolk and supplies Europe, the UK and Ireland with Newsprint, Corrugated Case Material and Kraftliner. Palm Recycling Ltd recently acquired the business and assets of Cheshire Recycling, Palm will continue to be the provider of recycling services to local authorities and businesses throughout the UK, particularly in the Midlands and North East.

Ron Humphreys, Managing Director of Palm Recycling comments on the move, “We were fortunate in finding suitable offices to locate our business in such a short time frame, the ease in which we managed the move and the almost seamless change over from our former premises resulted in the minimum disruption to our business”

Pioneer House has continued to be the premises of choice in Ellesmere Port and in addition to the most recent events; back in January Cabot Corporation joined the list of tenants making Pioneer House their operational headquarters after the decision came to close both plants in Stanlow and Dukinfield. Cabot Corporation is a global leader in performance materials and operate 39 manufacturing facilities located in the USA and 19 other countries.

Piers Goodall, MD of DBH says “We are delighted to become the new home to such established organisations and are very pleased with how quickly each company has settled in. For DBH its great news that companies recognise the benefits of using our serviced office accommodation. Those benefits being the flexibility that DBH offer, the level of service we provide, the accessibility of the site and the high specification of the accommodation. These factors combined mean that Pioneer House is an excellent solution for all organisations”.

This latest addition means Pioneer House is now well occupied after only 18 months of operation, exceeding all expectations especially when taking in to consideration the challenging business environment of late. Securing the business of such established organisations shows that serviced office accommodation appeals not only to small businesses and start up firms but to those long standing organisations who have a requirement to budget in advance or those who enjoy the benefits of being looked after in serviced accommodation.

Vauxhall confirms Ellesmere Port production hike

VAUXHALL bosses have confirmed plans for a third shift at the company’s factory in Ellesmere Port, and that there will be no job losses.

Outlining his vision for the future in Germany yesterday, the company’s chief executive Nick Reilly, revealed major investment plans and 8,300 job losses across Europe - including around 500 in Luton.

As he pledged in December, the Ellesmere Port plant, which employs around 2,400 people and is one of the most efficient in the Vauxhall/Opel group, will continue making the new Astra model as well as the Astra Sports Tourer, which will lead to the introduction of a third shift by the middle of next year.

Hopes are high too, that beyond this, manufacturing of the electric car Ampera will be built there as well.

Mr Reilly - who earlier in his career worked at Ellesmere Port - said his the business plan offered “a realistic road map” to success.

He said 11bn euros would be invested between now and 2014 in the group, which he forecast will break even next year and “make a decent profit” by 2012.

Carillion signs three in Hooton

Carillion Developments has reported three lettings at Oaklands Office Park in Hooton, Cheshire.

Alexander Eccles & Co has acquired 1,000 sq ft, Camps Solicitors 4,250 sq ft and Click Consult 3,200 sq ft.
Oaklands Office Park comprises seven self-contained properties on Hooton Road to rent or purchase.

Legat Owen and Edwards & Co represented Carillion Developments and Camps & Co Solicitors was represented by CB Richard Ellis. Alexander Eccles and Click Consult were unrepresented.

Energy firm granted permission for gas production at Ellesmere Port

A major energy company has been granted planning permission to build a gas production site at Ellesmere Port in Merseyside.

IGas Energy is hoping to harvest energy from methane gas beneath the ground and believes there is enough capacity to power 7.5 per cent of UK households for 15 years, the Liverpool Daily Post reports.

Andrew Austin, chief executive of the London-based firm, said Ellesmere Port would be the first gas production site of its kind in the UK and confirmed that further locations across the northwest may be considered.

“The harshest winter for some 40 years in the UK has led to gas interruptions, and highlights the need for an alternative to imported gas to maintain security of supply,” he remarked.

Ellesmere Port on the estuary of the River Mersey is home to the Vauxhall car factory, which produces the Astra range of cars in the UK.