Citrus Group has reached practical completion on 640,000 sq ft of prime industrial/warehouse accommodation at the £400m mixed-use Integra 61 development in Durham.
The speculatively built Connect scheme comprises a 298,000 sq ft standalone high bay 15m warehouse and four further units ranging from 43,000 sq ft to 152,000 sq ft.
In 2022, Sunrise Real Estate agreed a forward-funding deal with Citrus for the delivery of the units and GMI Construction was appointed as contractor.
The wider Integra 61 mixed-use development, which is being built on a 205-acre site, has planning consent for more than 3m sq ft of employment space in addition to 260 new homes, a new hotel, nursery, drive-thru restaurants, vehicle dealerships and trade counter/retail units.
David Cullingford, project lead for Integra 61 and Citrus, said: “To have delivered 640,000 sq ft of brand new high quality industrial accommodation to a market witnessing critical voids and where supply levels are struggling to be met is fantastic news and further demonstrates why Integra 61 has become a flagship project for the region. The North East industrial market is in good shape with pent-up demand and as such, the Connect scheme will play a vital role in creating more jobs and investment by attracting both new occupiers and assisting those already in the region to upgrade their space.”
Matthew Stevens, head of development at Sunrise Real Estate, added: “We are pleased to see the Connect scheme come together to deliver exceptional quality at a range of sizes to meet the needs of local and international businesses. The five units benefit from a skilled local labour pool and high levels of regional public investment and are set bring meaningful job creation to the North East.
“The community engagement undertaken by the project team has been excellent, providing a range of apprenticeships and workshops upskilling over 100 young members of the community. We’re very proud of the social and economic impact delivered by the project overall, benefiting businesses and people alike.”
Gary Oates, GMI Construction’s regional director for the North East, said: “We are exceptionally proud to bring the Connect scheme at Integra 61 to practical completion, demonstrating our capabilities and expertise in the construction of large industrial units and fulfilment centres. This significant project is a great example of the collaboration between Citrus as a proactive developer, our experienced North East team and predominately local supply chain. These much-needed facilities will benefit the region, helping to attract UK and international businesses to the region and provide a boost to the North East economy.”
Cllr Amanda Hopgood, leader of Durham County Council, added: “Integra 61 is bringing opportunities to attract business to County Durham, creating thousands of high-quality jobs and boosting our local economy. Supporting the development of sites such as this has long been a priority for the council and is a key theme in our inclusive economic strategy; developing places and infrastructure so that people and businesses thrive, creating more and better jobs in an inclusive and green economy.”
Avison Young, CBRE and Colliers are joint agents on the Connect units.
