Barnfield starts next phase at 400,000 sq ft advanced engineering park
WORK on the next phase of a 400,000 sq ft Advanced Engineering Supply Park in Burnley is underway.
Built in keeping with the rest of the site, the former car park land will soon be home to Elite 04 who will occupy a 15,000 sq ft unit, while Kavia Tooling has taken 8,000 sq ft and Lomax Offshore Couplings has signed for 3,500 sq ft.
The three new occupiers join international aerospace tooling manufacturer Kaman Tooling and BCW Engineering on Barnfield Construction’s new £60m, 37-acre business park, Innovation Drive.
Stuart Lemon, general manager at Elite 04, said: “We’re really excited and proud to be moving our business operations to such a prestigious business park with award winning neighbours. This move will help propel the business into the next stage of its development by enhancing the business performance in all marketplaces and we hope to create 10 jobs in the process.”
Chris Cole, director at Kavia Tooling, said: “We are very excited to be moving our business to the new advanced engineering supply park in Burnley. This move enables us to target a diverse range of customers and help create future employment and apprenticeships. The help given by Burnley borough council has been invaluable and we hope to continue the relationship well into the future.”
Tracy Clavell-Bate, sales and letting manager at Barnfield Construction, added: “It has always been our intention for the industrial units on the approach to Innovation Drive to be complimentary to the main estate in terms of use as well as style. We are delighted to have pre let/pre sold to Lomax, Elite and Kavia and we are sure they will be pleased with the finished product. We hope their businesses go from strength to strength.”
Council leader Mark Townsend said: “I’m delighted to see the transformation of the former Michelin Site into the state-of-the-art Supply Park ‘Innovation Drive’. Interest in the site has been phenomenal, and I’m delighted to see Phase II underway so soon after launching the site last year. Innovation Drive has proved to be a prestigious address in attracting new businesses and I’m delighted to welcome Elite 04, Kavia and Lomax Offshore Couplings to the supply park.
“The new companies will bring approximately 50 jobs to Burnley between them and are set to create over 50 new jobs in the near future, effectively doubling their workforce.”
“Burnley is undergoing a huge transformation, with millions of pounds of investment in its business, transport, housing and education infrastructure. This investment is achieving impressive results with Burnley being awarded the title of Most Enterprise Area in the UK in 2013, ranked in the UK top ten for private sector jobs growth in 2014, rated best in Lancashire for Growth Prospects by Experian, and now a top five position as a North West Boom Town, which is attracting new businesses to the Borough.”
Barnfield completed the purchase of the former Michelin Site from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) in 2013.
The architect for the £1.5m scheme is Campbell Driver Partnership and sales and lettings on the development have been handled by the in-house development team.
