Two major North East industrial schemes leap forward amid lettings and planning approvals

Two major industrial schemes in the North East have taken leaps forward on the back of significant lettings and planning approvals.

On Wearside, proposals to create new industrial space in Sunderland to support the region’s advanced manufacturing park have been given the go-ahead. Town End Farm Partnership Ltd last year put forward plans to create new space north of the Nissan plant to form part of the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) through three units providing more than 860,000sqft of space.

Work on the scheme, which was submitted on behalf of the Durham business by planning and development specialist Hedley Planning, can now get under way after planning approval was granted by Sunderland City Council.

Onsite construction work is expected to start later this year. Three industrial units will be built on the southern development section of the site, set on a 150-hectare site to the north of Nissan and east of the A1290, providing 17,220 sqm, 14,600 sqm and 49,190 sqm of modern warehouse-style space with ground floor office accommodation, vehicle and HGV parking facilities along with associated yard space.

Hedley Planning’s associate director Alex Franklin, who oversaw the planning application for Town End Farm Partnership Ltd, said: “There’s no doubt that IAMP is a real game-changer for the North East and its modern industries, driving investment, supporting jobs and creating long term prosperity.

“This latest planning approval will see the go-ahead for another important phase in the park’s development – new units in IAMP and other locations, which benefit from investment in good planning, design and modern construction materials, are well sought after and in high demand.”

Peter Razaq, managing director at Town End Farm Partnership Ltd, added: “This is a terrific scheme that will now proceed, meeting the strong demand for high quality industrial units in important North East locations and supporting the economic growth of local businesses.”

Meanwhile in County Durham, listed business management business Restore Plc has signed a 15-year full lease for space at Integra 61. The company has signed up for Connect 84 - part of the Connect development at the industrial park - to become home to its new storage centre, at an 84,175 sqft unit which property agents described as the largest speculative new build project in the North East in the last two decades.

Nigel Dews, managing director, Restore Information Management, said: “We are excited to have Connect 84 as our new storage centre. This fits nicely with our wider property strategy to continue to provide state-of-the-art storage facilities for our customers which also help with reaching our sustainability targets.”

The deal was brokered by Avison Young, together with joint letting agents CBRE and Naylors Gavin Black, on behalf of site developers Sunrise Real Estate.