Modular homes specialist Starship Group is to relocate its manufacturing facility from Deeside to Wirral Waters and create 100 new jobs. Tony McDonough reports
Modular housebuilder Starship Group has agreed to relocate its manufacturing from Deeside to Wirral Waters in a new deal with Peel L&P.
Starship has already moved its headquarters to the new Hythe office building in Wirral Waters It set up its new facility within the new £9m Marine, Energy and Automotive (MEA) Park. It will be operational in the next few days.
Starship was formed following the acquisition and merger of several existing property development and construction businesses. It is backed by a private investment fund and has delivered more than £75m of residential projects across the UK.
The firm has a further £30m of schemes under way with another £100m of projects in the pipeline. Starship is at the forefront of the modern methods of construction revolution in UK housebuilding.
In 2021 it completed four factory-built modular homes in New Ferry in Wirral. These zero-carbon properties have now been handed over to housing association Magenta Living. The business has delivered 50 modular homes so far this year.
With more than 90% of Starship’s workforce already from the Wirral, the new location will be within easy reach for its employees. Its facility will be located in the low-bay element of the Mobil building.
Managing director Dave Dargan said: “The new campus will focus on delivering on our significant residential MMC pipeline. It is expected to create over 100 new jobs over the next 12 months.
“We have a fantastic partnership with Peel L&P. We are working hard together to put Wirral Waters on the map as a regional centre of excellence for MMC and the creation of next generation construction skills.”
Earlier this year Peel L&P submitted a planning application for the £9m second phase of the 70,000 sq ft multi-unit industrial and warehouse scheme. Its funding partner will be Merseyside Pension Fund which also backed Hythe.
It has the potential to become a centre of excellence for MMC with the facilities and skills being used across a wide range of industries, including house building.
Richard Mawdsley, director of development for Peel L&P’s Wirral Waters, added: “Our strategic partnership with Starship Group has taken a leap forward.
“As environmentally responsible businesses looking to the future of the construction industry, we are very aligned in our ambitions and our values especially in growing a local workforce, and we are delighted that they can see the huge potential for Wirral Waters.”