Harworth Group has pre-let a 108,600 sq ft advanced manufacturing facility to an unnamed global automotive parts designer at Chatterley Park, Staffordshire.
Harworth is targeting BREEAM Excellent and an EPC A rating for the building, which will incorporate rooftop solar PV panels, LED lighting, rainwater harvesting and EV charging points. Upon completion, the building, which has been let on an 18-year lease, will be added to Harworth’s investment portfolio.
In addition to the advanced manufacturing facility, Harworth intends to develop an adjacent 58,000 sq ft unit on a speculative basis.
Jonathan Haigh, chief investment officer at Harworth, said: “Having a global leader in automotive design choose Chatterley Park as the next site in its global expansion underscores the strength of our locations and our deep understanding of occupier requirements within the advanced manufacturing sector. This letting marks an important milestone in the emergence of Chatterley Park as a manufacturing centre of excellence, and we continue to see strong occupier demand for units at the site.”
Jonathan Gullis leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and cabinet member for planning and town centres, added: “For too long, places like ours have watched investment and opportunity go elsewhere. This announcement shows that is changing, with a major global business choosing Chatterley Valley and showing real confidence in our community. Turning formerly derelict land into a home for advanced manufacturing is exactly the ambition we had for this site; creating highly skilled, well-paid jobs on our doorstep and generating the momentum to make Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough a place where major employers want to invest.
“Good jobs do more than strengthen the economy, they strengthen families and communities too. They give people security, help young people stay and build a life close to home, and put more money back into local shops, businesses and our wider community. That is the kind of growth we want to see across our borough.”
Robin Hall, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for economy and skills, said: “Our investment and several years of work with partners have transformed previously unusable land into a construction-ready commercial site with the potential to create up to 1,700 jobs. With its location next to the A500 and direct access to the M6 and A50, secured power supply and planning flexibility, Chatterley Park offers an extremely attractive proposition for businesses looking to invest in Staffordshire.”
