Opus North completes deals
PROPERTY development and investment company Opus North has bought a site in Barnsley in a multi-million deal.
The Ilkley-based company has bought the development site in Peel Street in Barnsley town centre, close to the new Gateway Plaza development, in conjunction with European supermarket chain Lidl.
Opus North will be looking to develop the site for a supermarket, as part of a mixed use scheme, with Lidl.
Andrew Duncan, managing director of Opus North, said: “This is a great development site, with tremendous potential. The Gateway Plaza is giving Barnsley a new lease of life and the site is next door. It is a perfect location.”
Mr Duncan now heads up Opus Land’s northern division, after it was decided that the company’s operations in the Midlands and the North should be separated. Both divisions will continue to be backed by Palmer Capital Partners.
He explained: “This is another excellent deal for Opus North and it has proved a very satisfactory transaction for all parties.
Despite the challenging economic conditions, we continue to look for exciting development opportunities across the north of England.”
DTZ acted for Opus North in the deal.
Meanwhile, Opus North has let 66,500 sq ft of prime industrial and office space at its Opus 36 business park on the outskirts of Goole.
Opus North has leased two distribution warehouses and an office to HCK, the commercial catering equipment and supplies group.
HCK are relocating from Larsen Road Industrial estate in Goole. The company is paying £3.50 sq ft for the 60,000 sq ft warehouse space and £6 sq ft for the 6,500 sq ft offices on a six-year unbroken lease.
Opus North spent £1.6m on the complete refurbishment of the former 120,000 sq ft Fletcher Transport site, which is adjacent to Junction 36 of the M62.
Existing occupiers include The Kerfoot Group, suppliers of vegetable oil products to the catering industry.
Opus 36 comprises six single-storey units, ranging from 7,000 sq ft to 30,000 sq ft, and two offices. Two units, 11,000 sq ft and 15,000 sq ft, remain available and can be leased or bought.
Ben Medhurst, of property agents PPH Commercial, said: “Opus 36 boasts a superb location, with easy access to Yorkshire’s motorway network, to Lincolnshire and to the increasingly successful and popular East Coast ports.”
The agents for Opus 36 are Dove Haigh Phillips and PPH Commercial of Hull and the building contractors were Havercroft Construction of Brigg.
