Amazon confirms opening of £68m Merseyside centre

Online retailer Amazon has confirmed it is to open a sortation centre at Haydock, this September.

The £68m site will create 250 jobs, substantially less than was previously forecast.

However, the US firm said it will increase headcount when seasonal demand, such as Christmas and peak times, require.

It said it hopes to “expand as business allows”.

The unit has the capacity to handle between 800 and 1,000 staff.

Recruitment has already begun, ahead of the opening.

Amazon already operates a distribution centre at Warrington.

The new facility is situated on the M6Major.com site, which was built on green belt land in Haydock, raising initial objections from locals.

More than 2,000 letters objecting to the development were received by St Helens Council.

Haydock councillor Martin Bond said he was “extremely sceptical” the scheme would deliver the forecasted number of jobs.

The site will sort parcels from Amazon’s fulfilment centres which will then be transported to delivery stations, where they are collected by drivers and taken to customers.

Kevin Marsh, general manager for Amazaon sortation UK operations, said: “We are delighted to be creating 250 permanent new jobs over the next 18 months in St Helens as we continue to develop our last mile logistics network.”

“This sortation centre will have an important role in supporting the fast and reliable delivery Amazon customers love and trust.

“We would like to thank everyone in St Helens and beyond for their support on establishing this new site.”