One of Southport’s fastest growing businesses is getting ready to expand into bigger new premises in the town.
EFT Group, which is currently based in Cobden House, on Cobden Road in Southport and recently celebrated its 50th birthday, is looking forward to moving into three large units at Southport Business Park, on Wight Moss Way, Southport.
The Group consists of EFT Construction and EFT Systems, a combination of businesses that provides a unique partnership to build, protect and maintain clients’ property, life safety and security assets.
The business also aims to provide further employment opportunities through developing small starter / hybrid units to encourage further economic activity in the area.
EFT Group has always been heavily invested in the local area, and recently won the Sefton Business In The Community Award at the 2025 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards.
The firm was founded in 1974 and the family-owned firm works hard to champion opportunities for women and men, including through its own two academies.
Sefton Council is now keen to seek approval to terms for a short term Building Lease and subsequent long leasehold disposal of plots F, G and H at Southport Business Park to enable the firm to grow.
It would include a long leasehold disposal of 999 years to EFT Group Limited.
In a report, Sefton Council said: “Southport Business Park is the only allocated employment site with development plots of scale available in this part of the borough.
“The Business Park has the potential to deliver a significant number of local jobs, support skills development and in addition generate business rate income to help support wider service delivery in Sefton.
“Through InvestSefton, the Council has worked with Southport based EFT Group Ltd since 2019. The Group includes subsidiaries EFT Systems Ltd, a national provider of Life Safety and Security Systems and EFT Construction Ltd, a multi-disciplinary North West contracting service.
“The business has grown significantly over the last decade and is a significant employer in the Borough. With this business growth has come a need for more space.
“The current Southport site occupied by EFT Group Ltd cannot be expanded due to the surrounding residential houses in Cobden Road and is increasingly not fit for purpose for an operation of this size. In view of this, the business has no option but to look for an alternative location.
“With long term links to the area (a high percentage of the workforce are Sefton based, an established local supply chain is in place and apprentices are recruited directly from Southport schools) the business wants to stay in the borough and local to Southport.
“Following discussions with InvestSefton and the Regeneration team, Southport Business Park has been identified as a potential site for the business to move to. On this basis and with an in principle agreement to further explore a relocation to the available site(s) at Southport Business Park, EFT Group Ltd prepared and submitted a planning pre application which received a positive response from Sefton Planners.
“The intentions of EFT Group Ltd regarding Southport Business Park are consistent with recent work on the recovery plan for Southport and, as a commercial development that will facilitate business growth (Business Growth & Investment) and create new quality jobs including apprenticeships for Sefton residents (Employment & Opportunities for Work), the principles of the 2022-2024 Sefton Economic Strategy Action Plan.
“As identified within the planning pre application, as well as seeking to relocate and expand their operational base at Southport Business Park, EFT Group Ltd also intend to develop speculatively on the site in the form of small starter / hybrid units to encourage further economic activity in the area.
“The Council will receive the benefit of business rates associated with the development. The disposal will facilitate sustainable economic prosperity.
“The disposal will regenerate a vacant / derelict plot providing jobs and business rates adding to growth and prosperity.
“The development will generate new jobs, provide business rate income and support and encourage further development across the remaining available plots at Southport Business Park.
“These outcomes are consistent with the objectives of Sefton Economic Strategy and ambitions and objectives of the Southport Town Deal.”
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