Work begins on 20,000 sq ft storage firm offices
THE construction of new offices at a fast-growing business park near the Humber Bridge which will open up a new chapter for a leading gas storage business is underway.
Centrica Storage will move its operational support base from Hedon, East Yorkshire, to purpose-built offices at Bridgehead, which it will lease from Hull-based regeneration leader Wykeland Group.
The new 20,000 sq ft, two-storey offices will take the total employed at Bridgehead, one of the UK’s greenest business parks, to almost 800 across the eight businesses based there.
Developed by Wykeland, Bridgehead has rapidly become a bustling business hub, strategically located by the Humber Bridge and A63/M62 corridor.
Centrica Storage says the new building will herald a new era for the company, offering state-of-the-art accommodation for up to 200 people.
Founded in 2003 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, Centrica Storage has its roots in East Yorkshire going back more than 40 years.
The company operates the Rough reservoir under the seabed in the southern North Sea – the largest gas storage facility in the UK, supplying up to 10% of the UK’s peak daily gas demand. The company also operates two offshore platforms and a major gas processing terminal at Easington on the East Yorkshire coast.
Centrica Storage is relocating its operational support base because it has outgrown its current 10,000 sq ft offices at St Augustine’s Park in Hedon.
The offices at Bridgehead are being built by Hessle-based PDR Construction and are due to be complete by next summer with occupation in late 2017.
Centrica Storage managing director Greg McKenna said: “Centrica Storage is proud to have a long history in East Yorkshire and moving to these new, larger offices underlines our commitment to the region for years to come.
“We are looking forward to working in built-for-purpose office space, close to major transport links including the heliport at Humberside Airport which we use to travel to our offshore platforms.”
Dominic Gibbons, managing director of Wykeland, added: “Centrica Storage is the latest blue chip business to choose to locate at Bridgehead, which is now well-established as a strategic location of choice for leading brands.
“Bridgehead is a thriving and fast-growing commercial community and is delivering the significant economic benefits we forecast during the planning and development phase. Bridgehead offers businesses a host of benefits, including state-of-the-art, purpose-designed offices, a prime location with great transport links and ultrafast broadband connectivity.
“It’s also a great place to work, with excellent accessibility and facilities, including a nursery on site, and set in lovely woodland featuring a nature trail developed in partnership with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
“We have a great deal of interest in further investments at Bridgehead and expect to announce more occupiers in early 2017.”
The 50-acre Bridgehead business park has become a magnet for companies in a wide range of industry sectors. Over the past year laser firm Rofin-Sinar and graphics company SGS International moved into purpose-built offices, joining Beal Homes, bathroom e-retailer Victoria Plum and the John Good Group.
A new headquarters is also nearing completion for office technology business IT@Spectrum and telecoms specialist The One Point.
Construction work has also begun on a new Farmhouse Inn pub and restaurant adjacent to Bridgehead which will provide a complementary facility for staff and visitors to the business park. The development, by pub retailer and brewer Greene King, will create 75 jobs.
Ultimately, over 2,000 people will work at Bridgehead, which was developed with input from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to enable commerce and the environment to co-exist harmoniously.
