Housebuilder snaps up 45-acre site which includes former tank factory
A housebuilder has acquired a 45-acre site in Leeds which houses a former 300,000 sq ft tank factory.
The sale of Radial Park site at Crossgates, which was involved both world wars, is set to be transformed into a new homes development after being acquired by Strata Homes for an undisclosed sum. It is understood that the housebuilder is now preparing to submit a planning application for more than 100 homes on the site.
Demolition of the 300,000 sq ft factory is currently underway. Leeds-based property consultancy, Gent Visick, negotiated the sale on behalf of Columbia Threadneedle Investments.
Gent Visick also advised the global asset manager when it originally acquired the site in 2001 from Vickers Defence Systems, and has since secured a wide range of lettings at Radial Park.
Tenants have included Royal Mail, ITV, a car retailer, and West Yorkshire Police, which used it as a firearms and dog training centre.
Vickers Defence Systems manufactured both Challenger 1 and Challenger 2 tanks on the site until the 1990s and prior to that it was used to produce munitions and heavy armoured vehicles including the Centurion and Chieftain.
Gemma Smith, sales and marketing director at Strata, added: “We’re really excited about this new chapter at Radial Park. The location has a lot to offer and our vision for the development will benefit the wider community.
“The scale of the development means that we can offer a wide range of home designs, this will create a vibrant new community for people that want to stay in, or move to, this area.”
Rupert Visick from Gent Visick said: “Radial Park is one of the region’s most famous industrial sites and as a company we have been intricately involved in every stage of its evolution, as we’ve worked towards unlocking its residential potential.
“It has proved to be a hugely successful investment for Columbia Threadneedle and is now ready to be regenerated and given a new lease of life, which is a vision that Strata is ideally placed to achieve, so we’re delighted to agree this significant deal.”
