Interest growing in Wirral’s planned International Trade Centre

Jan 28 2013 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Echo

THOUSANDS of Chinese companies have said they are interested in moving into a planned international trade centre in Merseyside, its developer said today.

Work to prepare the Birkenhead docklands site of the £175m scheme is drawing to a close and finalised plans are due to be submitted to Wirral council next month.

Lindsey Ashworth, director of developer Peel, said he hoped to begin formally signing up tenants for the centre this summer.

Once completed, the ITC is intended to provide a platform for companies from the Far East and South America to exhibit and import their goods into the European market, creating thousands of new jobs in Wirral. Mr Ashworth said: “Thousands of companies are showing an interest. At the moment, we are still getting declarations of interest in.

“The issue is not whether we can sign up tenants, it is getting people with quality products. I am taking 10-year leases and saying to companies they need to be patient and grow their businesses here.

“The last thing we want is a building full of companies selling products which are not up to standard.”

Mr Ashworth said Peel will examine all companies which have signed “declarations of interest” in moving into the ITC and then select a range to best guarantee its long-term success.