Areva wants to sell T&D division employing 1,500

ENERGY equipment giant Areva has announced it is putting its Transmission and Distribution (T&D) division up for sale.

Areva T&D's Stafford base, in St Leonard's Avenue, employs about 1,500 people.

Directors at the French-owned firm say they are putting the division up for sale to help finance its long-term development plan.

But they say it will not affect proposals for a £55 million redevelopment of its Stafford site, which were unveiled earlier this year. Together with developer St Modwen, Areva is planning to transform the 74-acre site with 138,000sq ft of offices and 205,000sq ft for workshops and research and development space.

The existing sports and social club will be refurbished while the rest of the site will house up to 300 new homes.

The planning application is to be considered by Stafford Borough Council in September.

A spokesman for Areva said: "An open call for bids will be launched and the group will pay special attention to the price offered and also the industrial and labour projects.

"Depending on the interest generated, the decision to dispose of T&D or not and the choice of a potential buyer will be taken before the end of the year."

Communications manager Rachael Clamp added: "Nothing has changed in regards to the need for us to modernise our facilities in Stafford."