Town bucks the trend on jobs

WARRINGTON is bucking national trends and is ranked seventh in the country for employment, according to a new report.
It also has the seventh highest proportion of private sector jobs, making the local economy less vulnerable to public spending cuts, according to the 14th annual Warrington Property Review – an economic analysis by Birchwood-based regeneration, property and planning specialists BE Group.
In sharp contrast to the gloomy reports of Britain slipping back into recession earlier in the week, the review gave an optimistic picture of Warrington’s economy.
The review measured the town’s prospects for future growth and provided an overview of commercial and industrial property deals along with a commentary on key retail, leisure and residential developments and other strategic sites.
Peter Crompton, director of BE Group, presented the report’s key findings and Darran Lawless, director of Muse Developments, the borough council’s partner in the forthcoming £130 million regeneration of the town centre, focussed on the great future potential of Warrington.
Among the review’s highlights were:
*Take-up of office space in the borough has doubled from the previous year to just under 17 500sqm, with Birchwood accounting for three quarters of these deals.
*More than 107 000sqm of industrial and warehousing space was let or purchased.
*While some big retailers disappeared from Warrington, TK Maxx relocated to a bigger store and Go Outdoors and Decathlon both opened large stores in the town.
*According to the latest Centre for Cities report Warrington is now seventh nationally in terms of employment rate and has the seventh highest proportion of private sector employment.
*Some 550 homes by a range of developers are expected to be completed in the borough soon and an ambitious target of 450 new homes each year until 2026 has been set.
Mr Crompton said: “This latest review shows once again that Warrington remains resilient and in many ways is bucking national trends. Last year saw visible signs that development activity is returning to Warrington, bringing renewed confidence in the commercial property sector. The coming 12 months will be very exciting, significant investment into the town is tangible.”
Mr Lawless said: “In the past Warrington has been known for providing first class out of town business/retail space. With the Bridge Street Quarter this can now be enhanced to include a fantastic centrally located family orientated leisure/retail destination. Over the coming years Muse will begin turning the ambitious plans for the redevelopment of Bridge Street and Time Square in to a reality with the council.”
The review was commissioned by Warrington and Co, Warrington Borough Council and Marketing Cheshire.