Green light for mixed-use scheme that will create 500 jobs
Henry Boot Developments’ (HBD) plans for the redevelopment of the former Imperial Tobacco site in Nottingham have been given the green light by city planning chiefs, in a move that could create 500 jobs.
The landmark Horizon site had been home to Imperial Tobacco’s UK production and distribution facility since the late 1960s, before production moved overseas in 2016. HBD purchased the site last summer in a multi-million pound deal.
The new development, named ‘New Horizon’, will stretch over the southern half of the site, covering 28 acres and providing up to 500,000 sq ft of new industrial buildings for a variety of uses. The site could also be suitable for other uses, with the planning application also including car dealership use to complement the recently opened Aston Martin facility next door.
Justin Sheldon, regional manager at HBD, said: “Once home to Imperial Tobacco, this site was of huge significance to the city. It’s great to see it being brought back into use, particularly given its potential to create hundreds of new jobs. Once completed, our investment in the site will be significant so we’re committed to creating a scheme that delivers real, long-term benefit to the regional economy.”
The joint agents are Knight Frank and JLL.
James Keeton from JLL, the agents on the scheme, said: “It is great news to have secured planning consent and a major milestone in the delivery of New Horizon. The scheme will bring forward much needed high quality industrial and warehouse space in a sustainable location within Nottingham city. It has all the advantages of excellent strategic transport links, combined with a strong pool of labour on its doorstep, good power supply, flexibility in building sizing and the potential uses that can be accommodated.”
“With the rise of the urban logistics market, alongside that of traditional industrial and warehouse demand, potentially bringing in some higher value elements, the scheme is ideally placed to capitalise on the current demand within our city. Combined, New Horizon has all the right ingredients to deliver strong job creation within Nottingham and the development of the scheme enabling occupiers both within the city and further afield to relocate to new high quality space in Nottingham, bringing with this much wider economic benefits.”
James Clements, partner and head of Midlands logistics and industrial at Knight Frank, said: “New Horizon will be one of the most well-connected sites in the region given its links to the M1 and proximity to Nottingham city centre. As with every HBD scheme it will also be of the highest quality, so we expect to receive strong interest from both regional and national occupiers.”
