DEVELOPMENT opportunities will be ‘unlocked’ in the so-called Southern Gateway following the relocation of the bus depot as part of a £10 million scheme.

The proposed new bus depot was granted planning consent by the development management committee in July 2019.

The move, from Bridge Foot to Dallam Lane, will open up the existing site for development.

The Labour-run council is seeking to appoint a contractor to undertake the construction work on the new facility, which will be occupied by Warrington’s Own Buses (WOB).

The issue will come before the cabinet during its Town Hall meeting on Monday.

On completion of the new depot, the council will grant a lease of 125 years to WOB and simultaneously the ownership of the existing site in the Southern Gateway area – buildings and land – will transfer into the council’s ownership.

Once WOB has relocated to the new depot and starts operating from it, the existing depot will be demolished and the site’s redevelopment progressed as part of the agreed Southern Gateway masterplan, subject to ‘available development funding at the time’.

WOB will pay a market rent for the bus depot as this is felt to be the ‘most appropriate relationship’ between the council and WOB, and will also assist in ensuring that the project is compliant with subsidy control regulations.

In his report for Monday’s meeting, Cllr Hans Mundry, cabinet member for transportation, highways and public realm, says the relocation of the bus depot is the first step to unlocking the development opportunities in the Southern Gateway regeneration area and in achieving the long-standing regeneration ambitions of the council.

He added: “Should the bus depot not be relocated to a new site, the regeneration ambition of the Southern Gateway would be significantly compromised.”

The report says that the estimated cost of moving the bus depot including the fit-out, demolition and remediation of the current site, professional fees and development management fees, contingencies and all costs to date was estimated at the pre-tender stage to be £9.963 million.

The total external grant funding totals £7.032 million. The council is required to provide gap funding of around £2.93 million and a further five per cent of the full project cost as a contingency.

The cabinet is recommended to award the contract for the work.