This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton

www.halton.gov.uk www.halton.gov.uk 3

Contents

A brief history of Halton 4 Connectivity in Halton 6 Mersey Gateway 8 Housing in Halton 10 Hello & welcome Education in Halton 12 Health in Halton 16 to Halton Lifestyle in Halton 18 Halton is a dynamic and achieving Work in Halton 22 During the past few years thousands of new For those looking to boost career jobs have been created within the Borough of opportunities, Halton is situated within the Halton, with an expansion of our expanding economic triangle formed by , Advanced manufacturing, Logistics and and , and is now home Service Industries. It’s estimated that almost to an expanding number of small and £1bn has been invested in the area during medium sized businesses as well as globally the past five years alone. This unprecedented significant companies. period of transformation and economic growth looks set to continue, as construction International logistics operators love Halton of the further boosts because of its key location at the centre commercial confidence in our area. of road, rail, sea and air transport links. David Parr Likewise, the area is proving to be a haven for Chief Executive A choice of housing, fabulous parks and innovation and enterprise with world-class Halton Borough leisure facilities, along with inspiring places science companies and high-tech research Council to learn and a great range of retail options, and development facilities flourishing here. all combine to create a location which is a great place to live, learn and work. It’s a place The future is bright for Halton, as traditional where families and businesses can thrive and and modern come together, to create a achieve their full potential. fabulous location for residents, businesses and visitors alike. For those seeking to make Halton their home, we offer all the lifestyle facilities that you I would encourage you to read, learn more, would expect in an area that comprises the and visit us here to see for yourself what’s busy towns of and plus the on offer. picturesque villages of , Hale, Moore & .

Halton also boasts acres of open space and further afield, offers easy access to rural tranquillity and attractive coastlines. We value our heritage, such as our Grade 1 listed Norman and , which sits alongside our newer developments, including Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, a snowsports centre, the Select Security Stadium, and the thriving Arts Centre and Theatre.

1 The Brindley Centre 4 This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton www.halton.gov.uk 5

A brief history of Halton

PRESTON

Links between the two towns of Widnes and Runcorn Our Location: stretch back 900 years to the early 12th century when land on both sides of the river formed part of the Halton Area Halton Barony. M6

M61 Citizens from the Widnes area had to These constructions reinforced the links pay taxes at in Runcorn between the two towns which were and a ferry service soon linked the two increased even further when the Borough’s M58 settlements. current major landmark, the Silver Jubilee M58 Bridge, opened in 1961. The bridge is listed Around the mid-19th century, the British for its architectural importance and is began in Widnes, utilising M60 reminiscent of the Sydney Harbour Bridge! M6 MANCHESTER coal and salt. Factories M60 M57 developed on both sides of the river and M62 trade, labour and skills quickly became LIVERPOOL interlinked. As a result of this, in 1868 M62 M62 the to Liverpool railway opened, M6 followed in 1905 by a to WIDNES carry road traffic and pedestrians. M53 RUNCORN Manchester Liverpool M56 Airport Airport

M56

M56 Located within M53 the M56 & M62 corridors, Halton is CHESTER ideally situated at the heart of the region’s motorway network formed by Liverpool, Manchester & Chester 6 This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton www.halton.gov.uk 7

Trains from Runcorn & Widnes

Approximate week From To Journey time day frequency

Runcorn London Euston 1hr 58mins Every 30mins

Runcorn Liverpool (Lime Street) 20mins Every 30mins

Runcorn Birmingham 1hr 20mins Every 30mins Connectivity Widnes Liverpool ( Lime Street) 34mins Every 20mins Widnes Manchester Piccadilly 30/40mins Every 20mins in Halton By air From Manchester

Airline Average Flight Time Carrier Frequency

Amsterdam 1hr 20mins Easy Jet/Flybe 6 times daily

Atlanta (USA) 9hr Delta Daily

Berlin 1hr 50mins Ryan Air/Easy Jet 4 times daily

Boston ( USA) 8hr American Daily

Charlotte ( USA) 8hr Daily

9hrs 30mins Chicago American Daily (8hrs return)

Frankfurt 1hr 40mins Lufthansa 4 times daily

Hong Kong 13hrs Cathay Pacific 4 times a week We’re Well Connected. Lisbon 3hrs TAP 2 times daily Halton is located within the economic Halton is located between both Four railway stations, Runcorn Mainline, triangle formed by Liverpool, Manchester Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport and Runcorn East, Widnes and , New 8hrs American Daily and Chester. Nowhere in Halton is more . Liverpool airport provide fast and frequent rail services than 15 minutes’ drive from a motorway has been through a significant period from the Halton area to destinations Munich 2hrs Easy Jet/Lufthansa 4 times daily junction. of expansion. In 2015 the airport throughout the UK. Commuters can be handled around six times the number of in City Centre Liverpool in 20 minutes, San Francisco 11hr 20mins Delta Daily Many of these businesses have been passengers than it did 17 years earlier – a Manchester in 40 minutes and London in attracted to the area by the numerous growth rate that massively outstripped less than 2 hours. There are also regular Zurich 1hr 55mins Swiss Twice Daily advantages that set Halton apart as national growth. Manchester Airport, only connections to Birmingham, Chester, a business location, including a good 30 minutes’ drive from most parts of the , and north . supply of suitable, value for money sites Borough, is the third biggest airport in the and premises, appropriate skills, and a UK and is the largest outside of London. 1 Runcorn Mainline Station pool of existing firms to act as suppliers 1 and subcontractors. The area also has Halton also offers direct access to transportation links that are second to The West Coast Mainline for both rail none. Approximately a third of the UK’s freight and passengers. Proximity to the residential population and around a half Liverpool and Birkenhead means that of all British manufacturing business is shipping to global destinations and ferries located within a two hour drive. to and the Isle of Man are easily accessible. 8 This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton www.halton.gov.uk 9

Mersey Gateway

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The Gateway is more than just a new bridge A landmark design 2 3 across the Mersey. The Mersey Gateway is becoming a landmark structure that is recognisable Mersey Gateway is a major scheme to The miles of new road network associated throughout the North West and beyond. build a new six lane bridge across the with the Gateway has upgraded access The bridge design is based on a cable-stay Mersey. Opened in Autumn 2017, this and prominence of various underutilised structure similar to the second Severn landmark structure, identified as one of sites located in ten separate ‘impact Crossing but with three towers. It is 2.3 km the UK’s most important infrastructure areas’. These sites are in various locations long with a river span of 1km. projects, it has brought about much on both sides of the bridge. These will Three piers cross the naturally occurring needed traffic relief for the existing Silver be places where the new crossing and deeper water channels of the river at either Jubilee Bridge. It also provides a major wider project help unlock land for new bank. These are supported by cable stays strategic new transport route linking the development and reposition the area for attached to towers that rise to between 80 , north Cheshire and growth. In total, around 230 hectares of and 125m above the river bed. the North West to the rest of the country. new and existing employment land could be released over the next decade. Although the benefits that the Gateway Crossing brings to the wider regional road This amount of land is of regional, not 1 CGI of Mersey Gateway Bridge network are significant, it is also important just local significance. For those not 2 Mersey Gateway Construction to recognise that the Gateway is more technically minded it’s an area of land 3 Inside the South Cofferdam than just a new bridge across the Mersey. equivalent to around 200 football fields. It gives further impetus to our ambition to Once fully developed these sites have the move our economy forward. potential to accommodate up to 20,000 new jobs over the next fifteen years.

From experience, we know that development on this scale doesn’t happen on its own. It will need encouragement and impetus from local and regional agencies to make it happen, working together in partnership to promote sites and realise the potential that will create new opportunities.

For more information about the project visit www.merseygateway.co.uk or follow on Twitter @merseygateway 10 This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton www.halton.gov.uk 11

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Housing in Halton

1 Sandy Moore, Runcorn Halton and its surrounding area has a varied and 2 2 St Aidan’s Place, Widnes growing residential property offer, ranging from town centre apartments, terraced homes in established, friendly, areas to urban villages and new build properties in planned communities. There is also a good supply of rural-located executive and family homes. Average House Prices Local house prices are competitively Halton Housing Trust (HHT) is the largest priced, but remain lower than many RSL in the Borough. This forward thinking £300,00 comparator areas, meaning greater and dynamic not- for- profit housing affordability now and better long-term association owns and manages 6,400 value for money overall. homes throughout Runcorn and Widnes. £250,00

Choice of housing is further extended It provides many different types of homes by excellent transport connectivity ranging from semi-detached houses, £200,00 that ensures that workers who wish to flats and maisonettes to more specialist commute a distance can do so from a bungalows specifically designed for older variety of attractive locations elsewhere in people. £150,00 the broader region. In April 2015, HHT invested a massive A buoyant rental market also exists, £8.5m in a programme of improvement starting at around £400 per month for a with homes throughout the Borough being £100,00 2 bedroom terrace house up to £800 per extensively refurbished. month for a family sized 3 bedroom semi- detached. Halton has a comprehensive £50,00 social housing strategy with a number of North West Registered Social Landlords (RSL). £0 Halton 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 12 This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton www.halton.gov.uk 13

Education 80% of all pupils in Halton achieved in Halton Level 4 or above

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All age groups are well provided for within , Widnes, performance against local and national the education system in Halton. league tables Percentage achieving 5+ A * -C GCSEs including English and Maths’.

There is a well-established pathway from Schools youngsters taking their first steps into a 80 nursery environment through to college Halton excels at providing good students deciding on their future careers. education for young people of all ages. There are 56 primary schools and 9 secondary schools. Nurseries 70 Pre-schoolers are well provided for in A number of Secondary schools in the Halton with over 30 day nurseries spread area consistently feature highly in the across Widnes and Runcorn. Of these school league tables for the whole of nurseries, nine are Local Authority run. Northwest England. 60 There are also eight children’s centres providing many different children and The majority of primary schools also family services including activities for perform well above the national average parents, parents-to-be, their babies, in the core subjects of English, Maths and toddlers, young children and the rest of Reading with an average of 80% of all 50 the family. pupils achieving Level 4 or above. 2011 2012 2013 2014

School

LA

England – All Schools

1 Pre-school fun 14 This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton www.halton.gov.uk 15

Further and Higher Education School Performance League Tables 2014 Halton: Secondary School Performance 2014 (Key Stage 4) Riverside College Sixth Form College School Pupils 5+ A*-C (Eng & Maths) English BACC Average Score Riverside College is a highly successful The college has invested over £6 million in Cronton Sixth Form College is a Centre of further education college serving the creating state of the art vocational facilities Academic Excellence which specialises in and the surrounding to ensure that students develop skills using A Level’s and advanced level courses. Wade Deacon High School 1509 77% 48% 335.1 areas. The college has been ranked as the the latest technology and equipment Cronton’s outstanding A Level results place top performing General Further Education essential for today’s job market. the college as one of the top performing Saints Peter and Paul Catholic College 1449 51% 31% 316.7 College in the country by the Department college’s nationally. The class of 2018 for Education on vocational performance The college works with a wide range of local recieved a 100% pass rate with a third of The Grange School 1130 47% 17% 305.1 following the achievement of 100% and national employers and universities to grades at A* and A. The Bankfield School vocational pass rates and 75% triple provide exceptional opportunities for its 698 45% 13% 288.7 Now known as Ormiston Chadwick Academy distinctions or distinction star results for students during their course such as work Cronton is home to Centres of Excellence in its students. experience, trips, visits and master classes. Science and Maths, Sports and Performing This maximises opportunities for students Arts providing students with opportunities Riverside College’s Kingsway Campus is to progress onto exciting degrees and to work with key partners including SciTech home to a wide range of full and part time careers. Daresbury, the Institute of Physics, West End Help for employers and employees vocational courses and apprenticeships, Theatres and professional sports clubs. Halton Employment Partnership (HEP) HEP includes various Halton Borough from foundation to degree level study. is a strategic level Partnership which brings Council departments, Job Centre Plus, The college has invested over £5.5 million together expertise from various employment, Riverside College, the Chamber of in its facilities, including the brand new learning and skills development agencies Commerce, Local Housing Trust, private IDEA (Innovative, Digital, Engineering, in Halton and can support inward investors and voluntary sector training providers, Applications) Centre which opened in 2017. and local businesses with a ‘complete National Apprenticeship Service and Skills This brand new state of the art building employment offer’. Funding Agency. includes Engineering, IT and Design suites as well as Science and Health and Fitness One prime aim is to assist with recruitment One example of the effectiveness of laboratories. and training and it offers tailored support the Partnership is the support given for large and small scale recruitment to Limited, when the company These investments ensure that our students projects. It also has a brief to ensure that recruited for its new chilled distribution receive the highest quality education in inward investors and local businesses have centre at the 3MG site in Widnes and also a modern learning environments with the 1 Students from Riverside College a readily available and skilled workforce. new build Widnes Tesco Extra Store. Open latest equipment and technologies. Additionally, entrepreneurs can be assisted days, a pre-employability programme with business start-up support. and support with the interview and In the wider area there are ten Universities, appointment process enabled 546 people with a combined total of over 170,000 to gain employment. students within just a one hour drive time. This ensures that access to higher skills and training is accessible and available to local residents and local business alike.

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Health in Halton 2

Castlefields Health Centre 1 3 2 Health Shuttlebus Halton is served by modern, state of the art hospitals. 3 Staff at Warrington Hospital

State of the art, high quality healthcare, The Trust has had extremely positive is available locally at Halton General feedback from patients and results for Hospital and the Cheshire and the patient Friends and Family Test are Treatment Centre, (CMTC) both of which amongst the highest in the country. It are located on adjacent sites in Runcorn. In was named best in the NHS in the Patient addition, the Warrington NHS Foundation Led Assessment of the Care Environment Trust Hospital is located approximately 6 (PLACE 2014) and its cancer services are miles from Widnes. This is a major facility rated fourth best in the country (Macmillan with 500 care beds and an Accident Cancer Support 2014). and Emergency department that sees over 100,000 people a year. These three facilities are operated by the Warrington and Halton NHS Foundation Trust. 18 This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton www.halton.gov.uk 19

Widnes 1 2 2 Eating out in Halton 3 Silver Blades Ice Rink 4 5 Runcorn Shopping Centre

Lifestyle in Halton 1

Those who either live or work in Halton have amenities, 3 4 attractions and activities in abundance.

From shopping parks to Green Flag award The picturesque villages of Hale and Shopping options are plentiful. There are big winning parks, rugby to rambling, medieval Daresbury hold their own surprises; one brand names at Runcorn Shopping Centre ruins to a state of the art theatre, there are of the thatched cottages in Hale was and Widnes Shopping Park and innumerable certainly many diverse opportunities to be once home to England’s tallest man, 9 independent traders throughout both town explored throughout the area. 3” John Middleton and Daresbury’s most centres. Runcorn has a weekly outdoor famous resident was the famous children’s market and Widnes Market is renowned for There is no need to go out of the Borough author, . Both areas also offer its friendly atmosphere and variety of stalls, to find ideas to fill valuable leisure time. scenic walks; ambling along the Mersey both indoor and out. In Widnes, The Hive is a big success with coastline at Hale or wandering through a brownfield site transformed into a high the lush Cheshire countryside surrounding Eating out is easy, with plenty of options quality leisure park with a 5 screen cinema, Daresbury. for all ages, budgets and tastes. National bowling alley, ice rink and restaurants. At chains such as Frankie & Benny’s, Nando’s Select Security Stadium, rugby fans can Nature lovers are catered for with plenty and Brewer’s Fayre can be found at The enjoy watching , a club with of bird watching locations, nature reserves Hive, with lots of smaller, independent cafés 5 a long and proud heritage in . and sites of special scientific interest (SSI’s) and restaurants dotted throughout Widnes Over in Runcorn, there is a cinema, the on both sides of the bridge. Culture vultures & Runcorn town centres. The Brindley café, award winning Brindley theatre and even a can wander in the footsteps of ancient for example, overlooks the Bridgewater Snowsports Centre. abbots amongst the medieval ruins at Canal and is a great place to relax, enjoy Norton Priory Museum and Gardens and a homemade cake and watch the boats The two latest additions to Halton’s growing also experience the intricacies of science pass by. Many of the pubs, such as the leisure offer are E-scape & Velocity. The at Catalyst Science Discovery Centre. The Ring O’Bells in Widnes and The Prospect in UK’s first designated electric off road riding area offers endless opportunities to enjoy Runcorn, are renowned locally for their food centre, E-scape, is located at Preston Brook, the outdoors, with three canals and miles of and regularly hold special themed nights to the east of Runcorn. Recently opened in footpaths right on the doorstep. offering different cuisines. Widnes, Velocity is one of the largest indoor An active The area offers endless opportunities trampoline parks in the UK. Halton to enjoy the outdoors, with three canals and miles of footpaths right on the doorstep. 20 This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton www.halton.gov.uk 21

Find out more about what Halton has to offer at www.visithalton.com

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Nearby Chester Liverpool Warrington For those who do want to venture further Chester is surrounded by its City Walls, With its unique attractions, exciting Shoppers are spoilt for choice between The busy town of Warrington is only a 15 For culture lovers, Warrington Museum afield, the stunning scenery of the oldest, longest and most complete in events, world class sport offerings, gleaming new city-centre shopping minute drive from both Widnes & Runcorn & Art Gallery has over 200,000 objects and the Lake District is within one hour’s Britain with parts that are almost 2000 unrivalled musical heritage and some centres, boutique arcades, bohemian and there are also excellent train links. It is and pieces of art under one roof. Families drive. Chester, Liverpool, Warrington and years old. Its Amphitheatre is the largest of the best shopping in the North West, streets and farmers markets. currently undergoing huge redevelopment are catered for at their very own theme Manchester can all be reached in half an Roman Amphitheatre in Britain and you Liverpool has something to cater for around the town centre and waterfront park, Gulliver’s World, and Speedkarting hour and offer their own sporting, shopping can often see Roman centurions marching everyone’s taste. , right in the heart of the area, with plans for a new market hall, Warrington is the largest indoor go-karting and cultural opportunities. through the city leading tours and school city, is the huge open-air shopping district a 2,000-seat multiplex cinema, a new circuit in the UK. parties. With the largest collection of museums that is home to more than 160 famous council office and a public square. and galleries anywhere outside of the high street and designer names, including Green Flag award winning Walton Gardens The city is renowned for its independent Capital, Liverpool’s culture and heritage the only Beauty Bazaar Harvey Nichols It has plenty of shopping opportunities is set around an Elizabethan style hall, stores which sit alongside global brands. are at the very heart of the city. Boasting in the country. The exclusive such as the Golden Square shopping often used as a film location. One of the Many are situated on The Rows which are a truly iconic, UNESCO world heritage and the ultra-fashionable Cavern Walks centre which has all the big brand names park’s most popular attractions is the completely unique to Chester. Continuous waterfront and skyline, what better way to are the place to find designer names such alongside smaller boutiques selling children’s free zoo which has a wide variety half-timbered galleries, reached by steps, experience it than aboard a ? as Armani and Vivienne Westwood. Bold everything from clothing to stationery. of friendly residents including chipmunks, form a second row of shops above those at Street, with its eclectic independent stores, Warrington also has a traditional market. red squirrels and ponies. street level and nobody is quite sure why The magnificent Albert Dock forms part has been rated by Lonely Planet as one of they were built in this way. of the UNESCO site and is one of Britain’s the best shopping streets in the country. There is also a lively night-time economy top heritage attractions. Apart from being with lots of bars and restaurants in the Chester Zoo is the largest zoo in Britain and the UK’s largest group of Grade1 listed town centre. the first in Britain to be built without cages buildings, it is home to award winning visitor and bars. Its new £40m ‘Islands’ zone is the attractions including the Beatles Story, Liverpool One 1 2 3 “biggest and most ambitious” development International Slavery Museum, Merseyside 2 Chester Zoo in the history of UK zoos, enabling visitors to Maritime Museum and Tate Liverpool. 3 Warrington Golden Gates explore the habitats of six exotic South East Asian islands. 22 This is Halton An essential guide to working & living in Halton

Work

The future is bright for in Halton Halton, as traditional and modern come together, to create a fabulous location

We’re in good company

• Mersey Multimodal Gateway (3MG) in Widnes is already one of the UK’s largest seaport, rail, road, storage and distribution hubs, with an anticipated 5,000+ jobs being created over the next 10 years

• Sci-Tech Daresbury is recognised for leading-edge research and development and is home to the biggest super computer in Europe and also the Virtual Engineering Centre which works with cars, BAE Systems and Jaguar Land Rover

• Sigmatex manufactures carbon fibre for Formula 1 racing cars, aircrafts, communication satellites and naval boats in its factory at Runcorn

• Suttons, a well-respected global logistics company, specialising in the movement of high value, high consequence products, has its Headquarters in Widnes

• Getronics delivers its high tech ICT solutions in over 90 countries and has its main UK Data Centre based in Runcorn

• Héroux Devtek is the third largest landing gear company worldwide, supplying commercial and military sectors of the aerospace industry and has a manufacturing base in Runcorn

• Daresbury Park has attracted a host of blue chip occupiers including BNFL, De Vere Group and ABB and provides many administrative opportunities

1 The Deck accommodation For further information contact

Paul Corner Inward Investment Officer Municipal Building Kingsway Widnes Cheshire WA8 7QF T: 0151 511 6730 M: 07554 112 888 E: [email protected]

Peter Scott Business Improvement and Growth Officer Halton Borough Council Municipal Buildings Kingsway Widnes Cheshire WA8 7QF T: 0151 511 7307 M: 07827954623 E: [email protected]

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