意向租客的到访使威勒尔ITC项目向前推进了一步

Mar 8 2012 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Echo

AMBITIOUS plans for an International Trade Centre (ITC) on Wirral’s dockland have moved a step closer.

A delegation of potential tenants for the ￡175m scheme visited the site off Beaufort Road in Birkenhead.

Lindsey Ashworth, development director for Peel, said decontamination work was well under way and he hoped “if all goes to plan” building work on the first phase could start early next year.

Also visiting the site was Stella Shiu, chairman of the Sam Wa Group and 50% investor in the site.

She said she was pleased with the response from the delegation she had brought over with her.

Ms Shiu said she would be having further meetings with leading businesses across China and bringing more groups over to see the location.

The ITC was given planning permission by Wirral Council last year and is expected to be developed in four stages. The aim is to provide a platform for companies from the Far East and South America to exhibit and import their goods into the European market, also creating thousands of new jobs in Wirral.

Among the visitors to the windswept dockside was Tommy Tong, chairman of the Ka Shing Investment Company, who said the site’s port links made it particularly attractive.

He said: “The logistics are very important, and of course the environmental atmosphere and the air is very very important to Chinese business people. Also the UK Government and Wirral council have given it a lot of support, helping businesses coming into this area. Tenants have full confidence about coming here to the ITC.”