Joinery and kitchens giant Howdens secures planning consent for a huge expansion of its Liverpool city region manufacturing plant where it employs 530 people. Tony McDonough reports. Tony McDonough reports

Halton Council has approved multi-million pound plans for the expansion of Howdens factory in Runcorn.

Howdens, a £2.3bn turnover supplier of kitchens and joinery products to the building trade, employs 530 people at the plant producing rigid kitchen cabinets, worktops, and joinery doors.

Located off Astmoor Road close to the Mersey estuary, the facility currently occupies almost 500,000 sq ft. However, the company’s operations are squeezed to the point where it has to use permanently parked HGVs to boost its storage capacity.

These latest plans will see the construction of an additional 117,800 sq ft of manufacturing space along with 52,000 sq ft of warehouse accommodation, 18,100 sq ft of storage racking and an external canopy area covering 15,400 sq ft.

Although the expansion is not expected to lead to a significant increase in the number of people employed there it will safeguard the existing jobs. There will also be employment and training opportunities during the construction phase.

In its submission to the council on behalf of Howdens, planning consultancy Harris Lamb said: “Locally, the proposed scheme will secure the future of all jobs on the site– currently around 530 employees work there.

“The construction of the development will generate hundreds of new jobs for the duration of the build, many of which will be undertaken by local trades. Together with associated services, this will provide a huge boost to the local economy.

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Construction work will likely generate new opportunities for young people entering the local construction industry. Social benefits are linked to the economic benefits with greater job security and the creation of new construction jobs for the build period.

“In addition, the proposed development will improve the working environment of all employees and visitors to the site.”