WORK has commenced on the £5m refurbishment of St James Business Centre with a new Warrington Digital Hub.
The investment will see the creation of a new entrance on Wilderspool Causeway and a raft of improvements, including new co-working space, a coffee shop, meeting rooms and enhanced facilities for tenants. A refurbished atrium and a new glazed lift are also included, alongside improved outdoor space for access to the coffee shop. Work is expected to be concluded in twelve months’ time.
The thriving business centre, currently home to more than 40 companies, will be re-branded as Warrington Digital Hub as part of Wire Regeneration’s remit to ensure that the town’s economy remains competitive and forward-looking in the joint venture between Warrington Borough Council and Langtree,
“St James Business Centre has always been a home for ambitious SMEs and our investment aims to reinforce that, whilst attracting the latest generation of tech-led start-ups to Warrington,” said Steve Park, Director of Growth at Warrington Borough Council.
Jayne Furnival, group property director at Langtree, said: “Our vision is to create an environment where new technologies and ideas can be tested and refined. We’ll be delivering contemporary and creative facilities that will support networking and collaboration, key ingredients in driving innovation.”
Wire Regeneration is working closely with the parish authorities at neighbouring St James’s Church to ensure that the new building and surrounding landscaping sit well alongside one another.
“The development is part of wider ambitions for Warrington’s Southern Gateway, of which St James’s Church is a prominent landmark, and we’re pleased with the dialogue that we have established with the parish,” said Jayne Furnival. “We have also informed our wider neighbours about the work, including providing them with a weekly update on forthcoming works via the project web site.” These can be viewed at https://refurb.warringtondigitalhub.co.uk/next-week/
The first phase of the new facility was opened in November last year with the launch of a new Digital Suite for the University of Chester. The suite operates technology from the renowned Hydra Foundation to train blue light personnel in the management of critical incidents.
The new development has been designed by Seven architects.
