Logicor and Stoford secure Freeport status and planning consent for Liberty Park Widnes

Logicor, a leading owner and manager of logistics real estate in Europe, and Development Manager, Stoford have announced that Liberty Park Widnes, the 18-acre site at Newstead Road in the South Liverpool area, has been granted Freeport status as part of the Liverpool City Region Freeport.

On 10th January 2023, the Freeport was declared officially open for business after Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove approved its full business case.

The Liverpool City Region Freeport is a designated area covering 45km, located in Birkenhead, St Helens and Widnes, where a range of economic incentives will be available, covering customs, business rates, planning, regeneration, innovation, trade and investment support, and employment opportunities.

Centred on a mix of infrastructure including the deep-water container terminal at the Port of Liverpool – the UK’s biggest western facing port, which already handles 45% of trade from the US – it is the key coastal access point to the UK’s largest concentration of manufacturing.

Targeting key sectors including automotive, biomanufacturing/pharmaceutical, and maritime, the Liverpool City Region Freeport will support and attract new manufacturing, logistics and low carbon energy industries. The Freeport status offers attractive incentives to new occupiers including; five years business rate relief, three years employers national insurance relief, structures and buildings allowances, enhanced capital allowances and stamp duty land tax relief. These attractive incentives will create increased employment opportunities and regeneration for the local area, benefitting South Liverpool’s employment zone, with over three million people living within a 45 minutes’ drive.

Additionally, Logicor’s Liberty Park Widnes has achieved planning consent for two schemes at the development site to provide either one large c. 360,000 sq ft industrial / warehouse unit, or two smaller units of c. 210,000 sq ft and 150,000 sq ft. All options will offer two storey offices, ample power supply, EV charging, HGV and car parking and built to the highest standard targeting EPC A rating. The new high specification warehouse space will be available to occupy in Q1 2024.

Liberty Park Widnes is strategically located at the junction of Speke Boulevard (A562) and Knowsley Expressway (A5300), providing direct access to the national motorway network via Junction 6 of the M62 and Junction 1 of the M57. Liverpool Airport can also be accessed in just 14 minutes’ drive time and Liverpool Port is located within 12 miles of the site.

DTRE and Avison Young are retained as letting agents and Stoford is appointed as Development Manager.