Government approves Yorkshire Forward asset sale
MINISTERS have given the green light to a sale of Yorkshire Forward assets thought to be worth around £15m.
The majority of the 15 sites will be sold on the open market although in some cases local authorities will be given first refusal to be buy them at market prices.
Proceeds of the sales will form part of the reconciling of Yorkshire Forward’s books ahead of its scheduled closure next year. The RDA’s total assets, less liabilities, are put at £105.9m.
Included on the list is land at Ackton, near Pontefract, valued at around £3.35m, and a site on the M1 at Barnsley thought to be worth around £2.5m.
The regional development agency had recommended the sites should be sold off as part of the plan for the disposal of its assets ahead of its scheduled closure next year.
It emerged earlier this week that the Government has rejected Yorkshire Forward’s proposal that 40 sites – around half its property portfolio – should be transferred to the relevant local authority or by allowing councils to buy them now but pay later. Discussions are continuing with Ministers about what should happen to the remaining assets.
The properties to be sold are:
- Land at Rockingham, Junction 36, M1.
- Plot 4, Waverley Advanced Manufacturing Park, Rotherham.
- Former reclaimed metal salvage site, Potteric Carr, Doncaster.
- Former National Tyres Site, Leeds Road, Bradford.
- Former Bristol Street Motors, Holbeck Lane/ Water Lane, Holbeck, Leeds.
- Colburn Business Park, Colburn, North Yorkshire.
- Island Wharf, Humber Quays, Hull.
- Former ABP site near Island Wharf, Hull.
- Capitol Park, Goole.
- Land at Spring Street/ Portland Street, Hull.
- Green Lane, Featherstone, Pontefract, West Yorkshire
- Grimethorpe Colliery, Grimethorpe, Barnsley.
- Woodhouse Farm, Castleford Lane, Ackton, Pontefract.
- Hesleywood Spoil Heap, Hesleywood, Sheffield.
- Tarmac Site, Wath Upon Dearne, Rotherham.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills said nationally it had approved the sale of around 20% of regional development agency assets by book value.
