Perspex submits £40m expansion plans

Plastics firm Perspex International has submitted its planning application for a £40m upgrade of one of its sites in Darwen.

The plans, which are supported by the Darwen Town Deal, will see the extension to the existing Chapels Park site to streamline its processes and, in turn, reduce CO2 emissions and water consumption.

The investment will also help safeguard jobs in the town while helping to create new roles too.

If the plans for the new Polymerisation Hall and Energy Centre are agreed, the extension would pave the way for Perspex International to centralise its local operations to just one location.

The planning application is for a 1,240 sq m extension to the site accessed off Goose House Lane. The full manufacturing side of the businesses has already moved to that site and, as part of the centralisation, the Orchard Mill site on the A666 would be sold for re-development.

Bryan Welch, operations director at Perspex, said: "Perspex International has a long and rich history in Darwen – one that we want to build upon and continue to develop.

“Perspex first came to the town during the Second World War as it was seen as a safe place for the plant which was manufacturing Spitfire canopies.

“Perspex acrylic has been a leading brand in plastic since the 1930s and Darwen is the only production site for Perspex across the whole of the UK.

“This major new investment demonstrates our commitment to the town, it will allow us to modernise and streamline the way we work and allow us to become much greener – reducing CO2 emissions and water consumption, something we are passionate about.”

Wayne Wild, chair of the Town Deal Board, said: "As Bryan has said, Perspex International has strong historical ties to the town, being a major employer here for decades.

“The Town Deal Board was keen to support the planned new investment to help safeguard jobs and create new opportunities and it’s a fantastic step forward to see this planning application submitted today.

“Manufacturing is part of the very fabric of Darwen and as part of the £100m Town Deal, we have been able to help bring forward a site for a new HQ for Brookhouse and a pioneering manufacturing and research centre on a neighbouring site at Chapels.

“Barnfield Blackburn Ltd – a joint venture between Barnfield Group and Blackburn with Darwen Council – is progressing talks with Sheffield Universities’ AMRC to be the anchor tenant there – housing its first-of-its-kind Additive Manufacturing Accelerator. A huge coup for the town."

Coun Phil Riley, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and Deputy Chair of Darwen Town Deal, said: “We are incredibly proud of our reputation for partnership working and supporting our businesses in the borough - helping them to grow and succeed. We took the £25m of Government Town Deal funding and we’ve worked incredibly hard to leverage major investment for the town, including these impressive proposals for the future of Perspex International.

“In total, we’re looking at more than £100m of new investment for the town – that’s more than any of us have seen in our lifetimes. We will continue to work hard to secure major new investment for our towns as part of our £1bn vision for the future and our mission to ensure no-one is left behind.”