A BUSINESS park which 'bypassed' the threat posed by HS2 is on the market – and is expecting bids in the region of £18 million.

The management team at Taylor Business Park has made the 'hard decision' to look for a buyer for the site in Croft.

In November 2016, the site hailed a decision to amend the proposed HS2 railway line in a move that was tipped to save 500 jobs.

Managing director Paul Taylor, who is on Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership's skills board, as well as the growth and strategy board, believes the decision to put it on sale is 'the right one for tenants and the company itself'.

He added: "It was a hard decision to come to but we have decided to look for a buyer that can invest in the site and its old buildings, so that it can improve and continue to attract new tenants in the future.

"We've always seen it as a jewel in the crown here in Warrington.

"It looks great, it's secure and it stays pretty full but we don't have the access to funds that some bigger organisations do and in 20 years or so some of these buildings will be coming to the end of their lifetime.

"A larger organisation would have the ability to wait until a tenant leaves an older property and then demolish it and build something newer in its place that would attract higher rents.

"I always thought the biggest challenge I'd face managing the park would be HS2 but now that has bypassed us we're facing a new challenge.

"We will be remaining in our office on the business park and will be looking for properties to invest in – and start writing a new chapter in the history of the site and family, which started with fish and chip shops, slipper factories, silencer factories and F. Taylor and Sons that made the Taylor Jumbo Crane before we ended up where we are today.

"We'll still be sticking to what we do best, commercial property, and our focus will still be on Warrington, Cheshire and the north west."

Mr Taylor is expecting offers in excess of £18 million and believes the 'appetite for commercial property' could lead to a 'bidding process'.

CBRE and Antrobus Capital Partners are acting as joint agents for Taylor Business Park Ltd.