Work is set to start on a huge new Euro Garages site on Merseyside after the neighbouring Aldi supermarket was completed and opened to customers, creating 30 new jobs.
With planning approval now secure for the proposals at Beacon 62 in Huyton, works will begin on a 2.5-acre plot to be occupied by a petrol station, McDonalds and Starbucks for Blackburn-based Euro Garages (EG).
Developer HBD Barnfield said it has marked two milestones, with the EG news - the second phase of the development - coupled with its completion of the 18,000sq ft supermarket on behalf of Aldi.
Bryn Richards, regional property director for Aldi Stores Ltd, said: “The HBD Barnfield team has worked safely to remain on track and get the project to the completion stage throughout a difficult time for the industry over the last few months.
"We’ve received really positive comments from the local community who have visited the brand-new store.”
HBD Barnfield is a joint venture partnership between property developer HBD and Nelson-based Barnfield Group.
The third phase of the scheme close to the M62 and M57 junction will comprise a six-acre plot which has outline planning permission for business and industrial uses and full planning permission for a car dealership.
Who are the self-made billionaire brothers behind Euro Garages?
Mohsin and Zuber Issa, the brothers behind the EG Group, built up their fortune from a single petrol filling station in Bury, Greater Manchester, that , was bought for £150,000.
Their Euro Garages brand, founded in 2001, has since established itself as one of the 海角视频’s fastest growing and most recognisable forecourt operators, with an expanding portfolio of around 4500 sites across the 海角视频, mainland Europe, the USA and Australia.
They have been named widely as the preferred bidders to buy ASDA from US-based Walmart in a £6.5million deal with their EG Group’s private equity firm partner TDR Capital.
Born in Blackburn, the siblings' father came to the 海角视频 from Gujarat, India to find work in the textile industry.
Now, the pair have a net worth of £3.56 billion, according to the Sunday Times Rich List, 2020.
The brothers have recently been diversifying their business interests. In February, they set up Monte Hotels Ltd and in September 2019 bought the Stanley House hotel and spa in Mellor.
In March this year, the EG Group from Belfast-headquartered, The Herbert Group.
The acquisition included 146 KFC restaurants and one Pizza Hut store, taking EG Group's food-to-go retail concession to more than 1,500 across ten international markets including the 海角视频, Ireland, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Germany, US and Australia.
They have invested £100million in Frontier Park business estate on the Blackburn/Hyndburn border including a Hampton by Hilton hotel.
The company – headquartered in a new £35m building off Blackburn’s Haslingden Road – merged with private equity firm TDR Capital’s European Forecourt Retail Group in 2016 to create the EG Group as it moved into Europe and the US.
In 2019 the business reported revenues of more than £17.9bn. TDR Capital now owns half of the group, with Zuber and Mohsin each owning 25 per cent.
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When completed, it is expected that the Beacon 62 scheme will create up to 357 new jobs.
Tracy Clavell-Bate, head of development for Barnfield Group said: “In a difficult climate, we’re pleased to have successfully delivered the first phase of what will be a popular, vibrant mixed-use scheme, and are looking forward to starting phase two.
"The final plot also offers another fantastic opportunity to be part of this thriving new business and retail destination.”
Dan Lawrenson, development surveyor at HBD, added: “Beacon 62 is an important gateway site, which will bring significant investment into the area and create a notable number of new jobs.
"We have six acres now remaining across plots three and four and look forward to making further occupier announcements in the near future.”
EG Group has also just submitted plans for a petrol-led commercial development in Beverley, East Yorkshire.