InterBulk move marks milestone for development site
A DEVELOPMENT site which was placed on hold when the downturn decimated the economy will this month welcome AIM-listed logistics firm InterBulk Group.
InterBulk Group will relocate from its home in Hedon Road, Hull, after completing a deal with Garness Jones for the 10,000 sq ft complex at the Beacon development, off Brighton Street, Hull.
Paul White, agency director of Garness Jones, said the move is significant for Beacon, which has taken shape over the last two years as a flagship development offering modern office and leisure accommodation now occupied by the Hull City Health Care Partnership (CHCP), KFC, Costa and a new pub for Marston’s.
InterBulk Group has operated from offices at Hedon Road for 25 years and the Hull office, which houses 80 staff, is the largest in its global network of 21 centres and 500 employees. The group is one of the early pioneers of intermodal logistics, with particular expertise in the chemical, polymer, food and mineral industries.
Horncastle Group, Beacon’s developer, said renewed confidence in property and construction could lead to completion of Beacon just over three years after the project was launched, with more new-build planned and more deals in the pipeline.
White said: “As a long standing employer in the Hull area, InterBulk were keen to provide staff with a modern and open plan environment in which to work. The company places great emphasis on teamwork and the plans also include a break-out area to enable employees to come together socially at break times.
“There is a great fondness within the company for the Hedon Road site – many staff started there when they left school and are still with the company – but there is also an excitement about moving to a new office which is very modern and stylish.”
Horncastle bought the site at Beacon in 2006 with the vision of phased development of a modern business park which would be close enough to Hull city centre with good access and parking.
Horncastle’s Ian Hodges said: “Because of the downturn we didn’t start construction until the middle of 2012. We introduced leisure users at the front with KFC, Costa and Marstons and we have now sold the other leisure plot which has planning permission for another drive-through operator.”
The first office complex of 15,000 sq ft was sold to the CHCP, which moved in at the beginning of 2014. Another office complex of 15,000 sq ft will be ready in March 2015, with parts of the building already attracting interest, and the remaining 10,000 sq ft office site is due for completion in September 2015.
The total amount of new space provided by the development will reach 68,000 sq ft with the final phase, a hybrid office, workshop and warehouse unit of 18,000 sq ft.
Hodges added: “The main thing about completion of the second building is that it shapes the street scene that we have been trying to create. We have designed a family of four office buildings so they are all very similar in terms of architectural appearance and designed round the street scene, with the buildings fronting the street and car park at the rear. It is very much a city centre design located on a business park.
“We started work on the leisure sites in mid-2012 and we will conclude in September 2015. There is a lot more interest in the market now. The development activity that’s coming through, not just at Beacon, is encouraging businesses to have a look, lift up their heads and recognise that employers are looking to upgrade their working environment and make their staff more productive and their organisation more profitable.”
