Work has started on Project Violet - The wew ￡17.8m Mersey tech hub

Work has started on a new ￡17.8m Liverpool city region hub for hi-tech and science businesses that could see the creation of up to 332 jobs.

The project will see the firm build a 43,000 sq ft grade A office complex at the site between Runcorn and Warrington.

The Project Violet scheme involves construction of two buildings providing 12,500 sq ft each and a third building providing 18,000 sq ft.

Buildings will be three storeys high and situated at the gateway of the campus near Liverpool.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, announced a crucial ￡8m funding contribution to the project on Tuesday.

John Downes, CEO of Langtree and chairman of Sci-Tech Daresbury, said: “The groundbreaking ceremony and funding confirmation mark two important milestones for not just Project Violet but also the development of the wider campus.

“These new buildings are a pivotal addition to the site, and will allow us to provide a home for more innovative businesses of all different sizes, from dynamic start-ups to established global firms.

Lead contractor Willmott Dixon has  started work on Project Violet. It will comprise two buildings (V2 and V3) providing 12,000 sq ft each and one building (V1) of 18,000 sq ft. Each building will provide floor plates of around 4,100 to 6,150 sq ft. There will also be major landscaping improvements around the Sci-Tech Daresbury campus.

Halton Council granted planning permission for Project Violet back in February 2018 and now, with funding secured, the scheme can finally go ahead. Work on the buildings is scheduled for completion by the end of 2021.