Property round-up: Deeside Industrial Park; Knowsley Place; Derwent Group; Clarion Housing Group; Halsnead Garden Village

Plans for Parkway Point

Joint letting agents Legat Owen and B8 Real Estate have signed up local business, Transform Your Kitchen, to the last remaining unit measuring 5,079 sq ft on a five-year lease at Zone Two on Deeside Industrial Park.

With Zone Two now fully let, following a string of new deals in the past 12 months to tenants including Home & Garden Products, Unistow, North West Roofing Supplies, Plancast and Pups & Pets, the owner is looking at speculative development at Site One which is due to commence imminently.

Detailed planning permission for two high quality warehouse/distribution facilities measuring 63,205 sq ft and 39,762 sq ft was granted by Flintshire Borough Council in 2019.

McClaren Construction has subsequently been appointed as main contractor for this latest phase of construction. Demolition will commence in the autumn with practical completion due in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Mark Diaper, associate director at Legat Owen, said: “We believe this is the first time that Zone Two has been fully occupied, demonstrating the strong demand we are seeing in Deeside for small and mid-box units.

“With this trend set to continue, our client’s decision to press ahead with the speculative development of these larger units underlines the continued confidence in the market.”

Deeside Industrial Park is off the A548/A550, two miles from the end of the M56 which provides access to the national motorway and road networks servicing North Wales and the North West. Z2 comprises a 105-acre site providing 850,000 sq ft of industrial, warehouse and manufacturing accommodation.

Deeside is situated within a Tier II Grant Assisted Area and qualifying projects may be eligible for grant support. Units are available on a leasehold basis.

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Knowsley Place

Nolan Redshaw Chartered Surveyors have negotiated two new lettings of prime office space to two large training providers with the letting of 6,500 sq ft of prime office space on behalf of a pension fund.

The lower ground floor office accommodation at Knowsley Place, which is within the town of Bury’s professional district of Bury, has been let to North Lancashire Training Group, which provides apprenticeships and training across Lancashire and Greater Manchester, and Ingeus, which has been commissioned by central government to promote local workforce development and recruitment.

Jonathan Pickles, from Nolan Redshaw, said: “This is good news with the building of 50,000 sq ft now fully income producing. The two tenants will undoubtedly create an increase in footfall and activity in and around Bury, as well as serving the wider community.

“After many turbulent months, it is yet another positive sign that the office market is certainly recovering following the COVID pandemic.”

Nolan Redshaw is also marketing prime offices at The Exchange, The Pavilions and Sandringham House.

Knowsley Place was recently sold to PHP Ltd.

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The Derwent Group has submitted plans for a new Aldi store and a coffee drive-thru on land adjacent to Glasshouse Business Park in Wigan.

The 1.5 acre site is located on the A49 corridor into Wigan and sits to the north of Glasshouse Business Park, where The Derwent Group has recently submitted plans for a £12m industrial scheme across 9.7 acres, which neighbours the Total Fitness gym.

The new plans will see The Derwent Group’s vacant land redeveloped to accommodate a 19,500 sq ft Aldi and a 1,800 sq ft coffee drive-thru to bring important new amenities to the local area.

Andrew Day, senior asset manager at The Derwent Group, said: “This scheme will deliver two popular retail outlets and create new employment opportunities, but it’s greater value is in providing the wider amenities required to fulfil our vision for the neighbouring Glasshouse Business Park site.

“At Glasshouse we hope to create eight new industrial units as well as further support our existing tenants.”

He added: “We are committed to expanding our industrial portfolio across the North West and are actively bringing high quality new space to the market. Amenities such as Aldi and a coffee drive-thru ensure they are the most attractive to future occupiers.”

Stuart Parks, regional property director at Aldi UK, said: “This site will be an ideal location for our second Wigan store as it gives us the prominent frontage and local footfall that perfectly fit our new store requirements. Opening a new store at the site will enable us to bring Aldi’s unbeatable value to even more Wigan customers in the near future.”

Andrew Day added: “If approved by Wigan Borough Council, these additions will help to increase local dwell time and create a well-served and sustainable community.”

The Derwent Group expects a planning decision early next year and subject to approval, will commence a nine month build programme in mid 2022.

The project team includes AEW Architects and Avison Young’s planning team, as well as Artal, Systra, WML, Zerum and Safety Sphere. Stratos PDI & Parkinsons Real Estate brokered the deals on behalf of The Derwent Group.

The Derwent Group is part of the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation and operates in the retail, leisure, industrial, commercial and residential sectors. It owns and manages three million sq ft of commercial property, including 2.1 million sq ft of retail and leisure space.

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Plans for the former brewery site

Manchester residents are being invited to have their say on new development plans for the the latest section of the former Boddingtons brewery site, bringing forward a proposed new sustainable mixed tenure community near to the city centre.

Latimer, the development arm of Clarion Housing Group, bought the 1.24-acre brownfield site in June 2021. The new masterplan looks to provide around 440 new homes, alongside quality public realm, ground floor commercial units and a focus on active travel.

The development will include homes for private sale, shared ownership and social rent, with a high number of affordable housing units.

Richard Cook, group director of development for Clarion Housing Group, said: “We’re excited to be working with Manchester City Council and local people to develop our plans for this significant site which we hope will become a vibrant and thriving new neighbourhood on the edge of the city centre, sitting alongside the new Manchester College.

“We want to create a high quality environment in line with the city’s residential quality guide, and to provide much needed affordable housing in the city centre. Sustainability will also be a key consideration, encouraging active travel with a new walking route, and cycle provision, all integrated with quality new public realm and amenity to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.”

As Latimer prepares for the planning process it is asking local people to review the plans and provide their feedback. To enable people to contribute to the consultation safely during the pandemic, Latimer has built a bespoke website where all plans can be viewed, and feedback can be given. There will also be live webinars on September 15 and 18, hosted by Latimer where the public can hear about the proposals and ask questions.

To view the plans, book in for the webinar and give feedback residents can visit http://www.clarionconsults.co.uk/clarionmanchester. This consultation will be open until September 19, 2021.

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CGI of the scheme

Knowsley Council has launched a consultation on plans for an exciting new green space to be created at the heart of the Halsnead Garden Village site.

The proposed plans across the 10-hectare site includes the protection and enhancement of the existing ancient and mature woodlands, the clearance and management of the existing watercourses, and the protection of grasslands and meadowlands, as well as extensive new playing fields and improved fishing facilities.

To ensure the space meets the needs of existing residents and new communities, Knowsley Council has developed a draft Masterplan and is inviting feedback from the public.

Included in the Masterplan are proposals for enhancing the leisure amenities including:

  • The provision of new changing facilities for Windy Arbor Playing Fields as well as improved pitches, a sports pavilion and car parking
  • Improved drainage for Mellors Pond providing an accessible lake edge with 30 new fishing pegs and a viewing platform
  • 2.75km of cycleways and 2km of pathways
  • Long Lake will also benefit from the enhancement of the surrounding woodlands and new footpaths with viewing and seating areas

The proposed wetland planting, alongside restored wildflower meadows and the planting of more than 400 trees will improve bio-diversity, providing new habitats for birds and other species. Recycled materials will be used throughout the scheme wherever possible.

Cllr Tony Brennan, cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, said: “We want to ensure that our ambitious plans are shaped by the community that will be using these impressive new natural facilities.

“We hope as many people as possible will watch the flythrough video and read the proposals and then share their ideas and comments which will help to shape the future of Halsnead Garden Village. The Masterplan has been designed with accessibility and sustainability at its core to ensure that all visitors can enjoy the new facilities and that wildlife can flourish.”

Chris Hunt, chairman of Whiston Juniors FC, said: “We welcome the much needed investment in Windy Arbor playing fields and the facilities there, and very much look forward to seeing them delivered as soon as possible so our club, its members and the local community can enjoy them.”

Halsnead Garden Village is the largest combined housing and employment site in the Liverpool City Region and one of only 14 sites in England awarded Garden Village Status by the Government. It will deliver approximately 1,600 homes and at least 22.5ha of employment land, securing in the region of 900 jobs and £40.5m of net Gross Value Added (GVA) per annum.

The plans can be viewed and feedback submitted online at www.halsneadgardenvillage.co.uk or in person at an event at Southmead Children’s Centre on Sherwood Drive in Whiston on September 23, between 2pm to 7:30pm. The consultation will close on October 6.

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