One of the North of England’s biggest property and regeneration companies has secured a third letting for its flagship logistics park.
American-owned mining equipment company, Joy Global, is moving from its present base at Ince, near Wigan, to Harworth Estates’ massive Logistics North development at Bolton. Budget retailer Aldi and global missile developer, MBDA, have already acquired space on the Greater Manchester site.
“The deal with Joy Global reflects the ever-increasing demand for high-quality manufacturing and distribution space in the north and we expect to attract more high-calibre occupiers to the site in the remainder of 2015,” commented Phil Wilson, an executive director at Harworth Estates.
In December, 2013, Logistics North was granted outline planning consent for four-million sq ft of distribution and manufacturing space, making it the largest live planning consent in the North West. It has also been independently estimated by Ekosgen, the specialist economic development and regeneration consultancy, that when complete the scheme will pump £335m into the regional economy and generate at least 7,300 new jobs.
“Logistics North continues to make a significant contribution to the north west’s economy and the swift progress we have made in bringing the site forward for development reflects our expertise at regenerating large, former mining sites,” Wilson added.
Earlier this year Harworth confirmed it had completed the first phase of construction work on a spine road and associated infrastructure, opening up several individual areas of development land. The scheme also has immediate access to the M61 motorway.
The site’s latest deal involves Joy Global acquiring an 8.3-acre plot at Logistics North where it will develop its new North West facility, involving a test area, office space, storage and distribution facilities along with land for open storage and car parking.
Aldi has already started work on its new 600,000 sq ft regional headquarters and distribution centre and MBDA is also constructing its 120,000 sq ft facility. Both projects are expected to be operational by early 2016. Harworth’s agents at Logistics North are Jones Lang LaSalle and DTZ.
Keith Davies is director of regeneration at Bolton Council. “Persuading a high-quality international company to relocate its facility here rather than another part of the country is great news for the region,” he said.
“This news further consolidates Logistics North as one of the region’s key economic development sites and is another big step forward in delivering the council’s economic strategy for Bolton.”
