The ground-breaking project is going ahead after St Helens Borough Council granted planning permission last night for delivery of the 160,000 sq ft global glass research and innovation facility located at Saints Retail Park.

When completed at the end of 2022, the Glass Futures facility will be used to deliver industry and government-backed R&D projects focused on decarbonising glass production.

The facility is being funded through a mix of public and private investment.  The Government has committed to £15m of funding for the ground-breaking project.

Glass furnace R&D centre will be capable of producing 30 tonnes of sustainable glass a day.

Landowner and developer, Network Space, will secure private sector investment to support the construction costs alongside a £9m grant from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Glass sector companies will also contribute a further £20m in resource, time and equipment to support the project.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Glass Futures has the potential to put our region at the forefront of the Green Industrial Revolution and make us a global leader in new technology.

“When complete, this project will help take St Helens proud history in glass making and bring it into the 21^st century, creating lots of local jobs and drastically cutting carbon emissions.”