A PROPOSED global centre of excellence will put St Helens “at the heart of the global glass industry”, MPs in the House of Commons have heard today.

Part of the £54 million Glass Futures project, the centre of excellence will have the first openly accessible, multi-disciplinary experimental glass melting facility for research and development trials in the world.

It will be capable of producing 30 tonnes of glass per day and will aim to revolutionise and ultimately eliminate CO2 from glass production.

The nationally and globally significant project was a pivotal component of St Helens’ bid to the government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund.

St Helens Borough Council submitted its bid last week, asking for £38.55 million to help deliver six projects that all align with the Glass Futures project.

This includes an ask of almost £13.5 million to help deliver phase 2 of the scheme, which is planned for land adjacent to Saints’ Totally Wicked Stadium.

Marie Rimmer, MP for St Helens South and Whiston, discussed Glass Futures’ role in helping the borough recover from years of hardship during a debate on the Towns Fund in the House of Commons this afternoon.

Addressing MPs via video link, the former leader of St Helens Council said: “We are a proud town with a welcoming community.

“Yet there is no denying that the past decade has been tough for our town. The impact of austerity is still felt. And the last year has made things worse.

“The last year has thrown a brick through an already shattered window.”

During a passionate speech, Ms Rimmer said people in Northern towns have felt “abandoned and forgotten for too long”.

And she warned that the economic woes felt by St Helens town and many others will “hasten” changes that were already happening.

“The world and the economy is changing – and we must adapt with it,” she said.

“The recovery from this crisis will be green and it will be global.

“It must and it will bring good paying, high-skill jobs to the areas that need them.”

St Helens’ Town Deal proposals are the culmination of 12 months’ work between the public, private and voluntary sectors through the Town Deal Board.

Ms Rimmer, who sits on the board, told MPs that being green and global is “at the heart” of the bid, with Glass Futures the “centrepiece”.

St Helens Star: A CGI of the Glass Futures Centre for Excellence A CGI of the Glass Futures Centre for Excellence

She said Glass Futures will work with the global glass industry and supply chain to “bridge the gap” between research and development, and implementation.

“As our economy recovers in a green and global way, glass will be the low carbon global material of choice,” she said.

“Glass is more than just windows. In fact, you are seeing me today through a piece of glass that almost every screen contains.

“The whole country has spent the past year looking at their friends and family through sheets of glass in their phones or computer screens.

“The Global Centre of Excellence in the proposal will put St Helens at the heart of the global glass industry.

“As part of the Global Britain strategy, we ask for the Government to support this.”

The Labour MP’s comments come as plans are submitted to St Helens Borough Council by landowner and developer, Network Space, for the 160,000 sq ft glass research and innovation facility.

A £15 million grant has already been secured from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) for the project, alongside a £9 million grant from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Network Space, said glass sector companies will also contribute a further £20 million in resource, time and equipment to support the scheme.