Peel claims its International Trade Centre in Birkenhead would generate £100m for local economy
AN international trade centre on the banks of the River Mersey would boost the local economy by up to £100m a year, it was claimed last night.
Developer Peel has submitted hundreds of pages of plans to Wirral Council to support its ambitious £200m proposal for Birkenhead docks.
The centre, known as the ITC, would be the first of its type in western Europe.
Peel said it will create 3,000 jobs and help kickstart the £4.5bn Wirral Waters redevelopment of the dockland area.
An accompanying planning statement also outlined a potential timescale for the development.
If approved by councillors, site preparation would begin in September and last a year, with the first of four planned units ready by May, 2013.
Three other units could be built, with the entire scheme completed by 2019 if it goes according to plan.
Peel director Lindsey Ashworth described the ITC as “a fantastic and exciting project where everybody wins”.
Peel’s economic report estimated the scheme would add £100m to the local economy.
It said: “The project will also help stimulate growth in a number of other ways, so the £100m figure could be considered conservative in terms of the actual value of the ITC to the economy.”
Peel said its commitment to other aspects of Wirral Waters, including major proposals for mixed-use development at East Float, was not directly affected by the ITC and the company will continue to bring those forward.
But it added, if the ITC was not delivered, “the wider development of the area would still proceed but potentially at a slower pace and scale, without the benefits that the proposed investment phase one and its follow-on phases would bring”.
In a report on the potential economic benefits, Peel said: “The occupation of the ITC is envisaged to be initially led by Chinese businesses which currently have no allegiance to the UK.
“Timing is therefore critical, given the links Peel has made with China, for the project to happen in the UK in the relative short term.”
It added: “If the development is not delivered in a timely manner, it is likely the opportunity would be lost to another area, potentially outside of the UK, at an alternative strategically accessible port location in Western Europe, eg Rotterdam, Le Havre etc.”
The outline planning application is for up to four units built between Beaufort Road and Wallasey Bridge Road in the West Float area of the docks between Birkenhead and Seacombe.
It is currently out for consultation and will be considered by Wirral Council’s planning committee at a later date.
The idea of the ITC is to act as a massive “cash and carry” for companies from emerging markets around the world seeking to sell to the UK and European markets.
Firms from places such as China and India would be able to exhibit, sell, assemble and distribute their goods and the ITC would offer warehousing and “shopfront” facilities.
Peel said the ITC’s customers will be trade buyers who will order goods and either use them as components for their business – such as manufacturing – or to sell them on through high street retailers.
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