Concerns at potential JD Sports Kingsway move

Artists impression of the Kingsway plot, the potential site for JD Sport's new warehouse.

Following news last week that JD Sports are thought to be the potential buyers for a new plot at Kingsway, Heywood Township Chairman, Councillor Alan McCarthy, has expressed his disappointment that the sportswear company could move out of buildings at Segro’s Heywood Distribution Park.

Councillor McCarthy said: “I do not want to see jobs moving out of Heywood to Rochdale and hope that if this move is to go ahead it will take all the existing employees with them.

“There has been a massive public investment in Kingsway Business Park and all the supporting infrastructure. The expectation was that it would be of national and international interest, creating genuine new jobs and investment in the Borough. It’s disappointing to see that what it is doing is moving jobs around from one part of the Borough to another.”

He added that while he could understand the needs of a major company like JD Sports to concentrate their two distribution centres on one site, he could not see the justification of a move away from its home in Heywood.

“I am amazed that all the business talent in Rochdale Council could not find a suitable deal to expand the work in Heywood, rather than see the jobs lost to Heywood and moved to a new distribution centre in Rochdale,” he argued.

“Once again Heywood people are being told they come second to the greater plan of Rochdale.

"To save the face of Rochdale Council and Rochdale Development Agency, and make the new Kingsway site look as if it is attracting new jobs, Heywood is to suffer the loss of 100 jobs and the local spending that goes with it. In these times of economic slowdown we need all the jobs we can in Heywood to continue to make it an attractive place to do business.”

Officials at Kingsway can not comment on any specific move into the business park until a deal has been completed and are yet to confirm whether JD Sports are behind a planning application for 600,000 sq ft of new industrial space at the site.

A spokesman for developers Wilson Bowden said: "Due to the sensitive nature of negotiations, the Kingsway Partnership is not willing to disclose any information regarding potential occupiers. Once contracts are exchanged, news of new businesses coming to Kingsway can be released, in agreement with the new occupier."