Sale of council building paves way for major Multevo expansion

One of the UK's fastest growing companies Multevo looks set for further expansion by buying one of Blackburn with Darwen Council's buildings.

Darwen Resource Centre, on Edward Street, had been identified as ‘surplus to requirements’ as part of an extensive review of all council-owned buildings as part of wider cost-saving measures.

Now, a new report recommends selling the building to Darwen-based Multevo to support the creation of a brand-new headquarters for the business.

Impressively, the company has grown from just four members of staff when it first launched above a village store to more than 400 employees in just 15 years.

Multevo works with both public and private sector organisations, offering a one-stop shop for highways, civils and groundworks, traffic management, arboriculture and vegetation management services.

It also provides specialist plant and commercial truck and van servicing, maintenance and repair UK-wide dealership for specialist multi-purpose maintenance equipment.

This year alone, the company has created more than 100 new jobs – increasing its Lancashire-based employment by an impressive 134 per cent.

Multevo is a keen supporter of the local community – being a gold patron of Blackburn with Darwen Youth Zone and supporting grassroots causes, including Darwen Football Club and the Blackburn with Darwen Town Team.

Josh Sweeney, director of marketing and Growth at Multevo said: “We are proud of our Lancashire roots.

“This expansion will allow us to renovate our old head office into a new and improved dedicated service centre facility to support the growth of our specialist plant and maintenance division – helping us serve our growing commercial truck and van service, maintenance and repair customer base.

“The move also makes way for a larger operational base, where local resource can be stored and deployed promptly to support successful delivery of local contracts.

“The Darwen Resource Centre will become our new headquarters, supporting our growth journey – creating more local jobs, expanding into new markets and increasing capacity for local service delivery.”

Councillor Quesir Mahmood, deputy leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and executive member for growth and development, said: “Multevo is a huge success story and we’re proud to have them based here in our borough.

“The rate of growth, from just four members of staff to 400 in 15 years, is incredible and a fantastic example of the strong entrepreneurial spirit here in Blackburn with Darwen.

“The Darwen Resource Centre had been identified as surplus to our requirements and it’s a prime location for Multevo, being adjacent to where they are already based, just off the A666.

“This sale will generate much-needed funding for the Council while supporting Multevo with its growth – a real win-win for our borough.”

In the report to the council’s executive board, Multevo is named as a ‘special purchaser’ for the site. The value of the building and adjacent land has been confirmed by an independent surveyor, with the company paying an additional 10 per cent on top.

The two-storey building had been jointly used by both the council and the NHS, but the space had been significantly under-utilised in recent years.

Coun Mahmood added: “As part of the sale, the services that were based at the Resource Centre have been relocated to Darwen Town Hall, with a town-centre location being much preferred.

“The town hall has benefitted from upgrades too and all services are running as usual.

“This sale chimes with our Council mission – to create a more prosperous borough whilst ensuring no one is left behind.

“Once the deal is finalised, Multevo intend to use the building as their new HQ – welcoming visitors from across the country.

“On behalf of the council, I’d like to wish them the very best for the future and their continued success.”

The report recommending the sale will be presented to the executive board on Thursday, December 11.