Briefs: Investor buys industrial unit; Interiors division launches; Horiba accelerates expansion; Infrastructure works contract awarded

A speculatively-developed industrial unit in Wednesfield has been bought for £1.78m by a private investor.

The 19,060 sq ft unit at the Steelpark Trading Estate has been let to manufacturer CS Labels, which will relocate from Willenhall.

The latest deal, priced at £6.70 per sq ft, means that 50% of the site is now taken. Two units have been sold, while a 10-year lease has been agreed on a third unit.

Dominic Goold, director of Midlands-based Goold Estates, said: “This is a high-quality development with great transport connections so we were confident there would be strong demand in the market for the units.”

Steelpark Trading Estate has six units totaling 75,000 sq ft and the main work at the site was completed earlier this year.

Simon Smith, managing director of CS Labels, said: “We are delighted to have purchased a new and desirable building which will allow us to continue to grow and develop our delivery of extensive in-house label printing facilities in pre-press and production.”

The Steelpark Trading Estate gained speculative development finance through Finance Birmingham and the West Midlands Combined Authority Collective Investment Fund.

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The Lewis Building, which was fitted out by Willmott Dixon Interiors

Willmott Dixon is continuing its expansion in the Midlands by introducing Willmott Dixon Interiors to the region.

Its Interiors division has moved into Two Snowhill, next door to Willmott Dixon’s new city centre office.

In the Midlands, Willmott Dixon has previously delivered interiors for four floors at Two Snowhill, the refurbishment of L&G’s The Lewis Building and similar projects for Coventry University and Milton Keynes Council.

Nick Gibb, deputy managing director for Willmott Dixon in the Midlands, said: “Willmott Dixon Interiors represents a vital part of our business as a Group and the time was definitely right to establish a dedicated presence in the Midlands.”

Starting with a core senior team, Willmott Dixon Interiors is looking to expand and create further employment opportunities as it takes on more projects.

Tom McEvoy, director for Willmott Dixon Interiors in the Midlands, said: “The Midlands market is exceedingly active and provides us with a significant opportunity to expand and engage with new projects and schemes across a variety of sectors.”

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Brook Court, Whittington Hall, Worcester

A global supplier of automotive test systems has more than tripled its Worcester office space, taking the last remaining office suite at Whittington Hall Business Park.

Horiba Test Automation has taken 4,696 sq ft of grade A space on a five-year lease “to accommodate significant growth in its workforce”.

The business already has a 1,800 sq ft office suite in Whittington Hall’s Teme House. Adding the new space in Brook Court is its second expansion at the business park.

Tim Matthews, chief executive of Blue Marble, which acted on behalf of the Pemberstone Partnership, said: “This is another vote of confidence by its tenants in Worcester’s prime out of town business park.”

The lease to Horiba follows a new 10-year lease to Miller Homes, also at Brook Court, and the retention of existing tenant Bamboo Marketing which signed a new five year lease.

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Civil engineering firm M Lambe Construction will deliver the infrastructure works for IM Properties’ residential development at Blythe Valley Park (BVP).

The Blythe Valley Park masterplan will bring residential into the mix of commercial and leisure space to form a sustainable community in Solihull.

M Lambe Construction has been chosen by housebuilder Bloor Homes to construct a estate spine road and undertake highway improvements, which will provide the infrastructure necessary to support the building of 750 homes.

Michael Lambe, director of M Lambe Construction, said: “Bloor Homes is a very ambitious brand who we have had ambitions to form a strong partnership with for quite some time. We are naturally delighted to be appointed to deliver this very important project to Blythe Valley Park.”