Plans for vacant 45-acre strategic site could support 2,000 jobs
A major employment development with potential to support 2,000 jobs is the subject of a new planning application lodged with Harrogate Borough Council.
The proposals for the vacant 45-acre site, called Harrogate 47, have been put forward by Opus North and Bridges Fund Management.
The site, which was acquired by Opus North and Bridges in October 2020, already benefits from an existing planning permission for over half a million square feet of development for employment uses.
It is allocated as the main strategic employment site in Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan, due to its connectivity to the transport network from J47 of the A1(M) in North Yorkshire.
The new planning application includes a masterplan for a BREEAM ‘Excellent’, low-carbon development, incorporating over half a million square feet of employment space for office, hi-tech/hybrid and logistics uses, as well as amenity uses, within a landscaped environment.
This would include up to 130,000 sq ft of office accommodation, about 75,000 sq ft of high-tech/hybrid starter units and approximately 430,000 sq ft of logistics and warehouse accommodation for mid-box units of varying sizes and styles.
A spokesman for the applicant said: “The development is key for Harrogate and the wider North Yorkshire economy in providing much-needed new employment land that can accommodate both office and industrial space for occupiers, to meet local, regional and national demand.
“The proposals align with Harrogate Borough Council’s economic growth objectives of bringing forward land and accommodation for employment use to enable local companies to stay and grow, and of attracting inward investment into the district.”
Ryan Unsworth, development director of Opus North, said: “We have been working hard with our appointed consultancy team and key stakeholders since we acquired the site to progress a masterplan that would maximise the job-creating potential of the site whilst addressing current and anticipated regional demand for sustainable office and industrial accommodation.
“We are confident our application captures these aspects and look forward to seeing the initial works start on site to facilitate development.”
Guy Bowden, partner at Bridges Fund Management, said: “As Harrogate 47 is such an important site with immense potential to make a significant economic contribution to the local area, we are keen to maintain momentum and as such are commencing preparatory works.
“The work being undertaken will ensure plots are ready for construction to begin, which could be as early as summer 2021.
“Our appointed agents are already in detailed discussions with potential occupiers who have expressed an interest in the scheme.”
Oliver Freer from CBRE’s Northern Planning Team, who prepared the planning application, said: “A successful consent would allow much-needed commercial space to be delivered, enabling local companies to stay and attracting new inward investment into the district, whilst unlocking the potential for some 2,000 new local jobs.
“We are delighted to have worked with Opus and Bridges in preparing this planning application and look forward to working with Harrogate Borough Council and its partners to see the site come forward.”
Appointed industrial agents for Harrogate 47 are CBRE and Gent Visick, with the office enquiries directed to the office agency teams at CBRE and Knight Frank.
