Housing depot transformed into £6m light industrial park
A former housing depot in Leicester has been redeveloped into a £6.25m light industrial park.
Brackley Property Developments (BPD) has completed Blackbird Industrial Park on Blackbird Road for Leicester City Council, delivering over 30,000 sq ft of light industrial units.
The development includes four sustainable buildings, divided into 21 units aimed at start-ups and expanding businesses.
Units are EPC A-rated, with sizes ranging from 750 to 2,500 sq ft and feature solar panels, insulation and energy-efficient lighting. The site also includes on-site parking, EV charging, and bike storage.
Previously, the brownfield site housed the Ian Marlow Centre, a council housing depot with vacant office and storage buildings.
Funded by the government’s Levelling Up Fund after the council’s 2021 bid for £19.4m, BPD was selected to lead the redevelopment.
Wilten Construction served as the main contractor, alongside a team from Summers Inman LLP, Stephen George + Partners, BSP, and BWB Consulting.
Stephen Pedrick-Moyle, managing director of BPD, said: “We’re very pleased to hand over these four new, low-carbon buildings to Leicester City Council. We’ve worked closely with the council for more than a year to redevelop the site, demolishing redundant buildings and replacing them with flexible light industrial space. The new units are suitable for various uses and will support the growth of local employers in Leicester.”
City Mayor Peter Soulsby, said: “This new and much-needed industrial park has regenerated a vacant council site to help meet the growing demand for commercial and industrial workspaces for start-up and growing businesses in Leicester.
“Along with supporting local employers and creating new jobs, this fantastic new development also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to investing in cleaner, greener and low-carbon infrastructure to support the future prosperity of our growing city. Brackley has once again proven itself to be a fantastic development partner. Blackbird Industrial Park sets a benchmark in quality for small industrial units in the city.”
