Fusion21 Supports Contractor PLP to Secure Opportunities for Knowsley Residents
Sarah Maguire, Head of Social Value
Fusion21 is working with contractor PLP to secure opportunities for Knowsley residents and businesses, as we continue to work in partnership with Knowsley Council to ensure that everyone in the borough is positively impacted when major investment is secured.
PLP, the UK logistics developer and investor, has appointed Sterling Services, a Knowsley-based construction company to deliver a new gateway access into the PLP Knowsley scheme. Work has commenced on site and will be completed early in 2020.
PLP Knowsley is a 37 acre, fully consented development site located on Knowsley Business Park that can accommodate large-scale manufacturing and logistics units of up to800,000 sq ft in a single unit. The contractor has worked closely with Fusion21 and Knowsley Council to ensure local companies were given every opportunity to secure these works.
As a company with Merseyside roots, Fusion21 has a wealth of experience in the planning system and has helped more than 600 beneficiaries to gain work, experience and develop careers within the construction industry.
We’re proud to be supporting PLP to secure opportunities for Knowsley residents and businesses and we’re now looking forward to working alongside Sterling Services to develop a skilled local workforce - which will also benefit disadvantaged groups such as care leavers and those not in education, employment or training.
"PLP has already secured planning consent for our proposals and the site has been prepared for development. Implementing a new gateway access into the site is the final piece of preparation to ensure the site is immediately deliverable for occupiers. We are in discussions with a number of potential occupiers and believe investing so heavily in the site now will quickly deliver a large pre-let.
PLP is investing in Knowsley and would like to thank Fusion21 for helping to introduce us to some fantastic local businesses. Sterling Services stood out as they were extremely keen, very competitive and shared PLP’s vision for delivering benefits for local businesses and workers. We’re very excited to be working with them on this hugely important scheme for Knowsley.”
Keith Wilson, Development Director at PLP
Paul Blennerhassett, Managing Director of Sterling Services commented: “Sterling Services are delighted to have been awarded the scheme by PLP. As a Knowsley based contractor of over 15 years and with 80% of our workforce living in the borough, we believe these works help not only secure these existing jobs but also to enable us to recruit more local staff and apprentices as we grow the business.
“We look forward to delivering a fantastic scheme on behalf of PLP, and as a result secure more appointments in the future.”
B8 and JLL are appointed as leasing agents for the scheme.