Plans have been submitted for phase two of the Harrogate West Business Park which could see 10 industrial units constructed for businesses to rent.

The Burley Bank Road site is alongside Penny Pot Lane and is close to the Army Foundation College.

Teakwood Investments Ltd has already built several industrial buildings at the business park including the headquarters for Harrogate firm Envirovent which opened in 2022.

Designs by Harrogate-based SPX Architects show the 10 units would vary in size with the smallest being 307 square metres and the largest 2,908 square metres. They would all be between seven and nine metres tall.

In total, the units would create 12,535 square metres of commercial floor space.

The site would be accessed and exited through the existing industrial park estate road, Bardner Bank.

According to the plans, service yards have been designed with sufficient space for HGVs to turn.

A design and access statement attached to the application said the business park has a “very minor impact” on nearby roads.

However, so far one resident has objected to the proposals fearing congestion from vehicles and HGVs.

They said:

“Local residents rightly are unhappy as property/amenity values will reduce and Burley Bank Road will become a car and HGV rat run to the A59.”

North Yorkshire Council has also received several letters of support from businesses interested in taking up units at the site.

Yorkshire Flapjack said they currently operate from a unit at the business park and would be interested in expanding to a larger one.

They said:

“The speed at which the phase 1 development was taken up by 13 different businesses has been testament to the pent-up demand for this type of commercial propertiy in the town.”

North Yorkshire Council will decide on the plans at a later date.

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This story is sponsored by Yorkshire Radiators.

Choosing a new radiator without professional advice could end up being an expensive mistake, a Harrogate business-owner has warned. 

Clyde Williams, who owns and runs Yorkshire Radiators with his wife Crystal, said that snags in the buying process are common, and expert input from the start is the best way to avoid problems. He said: 

“Sometimes the wrong design is delivered, or there’s a valve missing – this kind of thing happens all the time. Sometimes, plumbers forget to ask the customer about the height of the skirting board or the thickness of the wall – there are a thousand things that can go wrong – and mistakes can be costly.  

“Trying to do it all yourself can just end up a false economy, so it makes good financial sense to leave it all to us. We manage the whole procurement process, so if there’s a problem, we’ll deal with the headache; the customer can cross it off their list of things to worry about.” 

Yorkshire Radiators, which is based in purpose-built premises on the new Harrogate West Business Park, on Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate, supplies bespoke radiators direct to the customer. Its carbon-zero unit includes a warehouse, spray booth and showroom all under one roof, making it a one-stop for homeowners, plumbers and interior designers looking for the perfect heating system delivered with a short lead time.

The company offers three different styles of radiator – with round, flat and oval profiles – in a range of sizes, 10 horizontal and eight vertical, and a choice of 12 colours. 

Clyde said: 

“You don’t have to have a radiator in just black, white or grey anymore. We can supply them in bronze, gunmetal, antique copper, or even Barbie pink! And we can save you money. 

“We offer a showroom service and after-sales care, but we sell at internet prices – there isn’t a single online provider undercutting us.

“Also, most of our competitors take eight weeks to turn around an order, but we can do it within 10 working days. That’s a hugely important difference if you’re waiting in the cold!

“Think twice before you order a new radiator. Come and talk to us first.”

Find out more: 

To view all our radiator options, drop into our showroom at Unit 9, Harrogate West Business Park, HG3 2FN. It’s open every weekday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (3pm on Wednesdays) and by appointment on Saturdays. Alternatively, visit the Yorkshire Radiators website.   

Yorkshire Radiators has also set up an incentive scheme for local contractors, which is good news for them and their customers. Local plumbers and central heating engineers can find out more about this deal should call 07838 497803 or email by tapping here. 

This story is sponsored by Yorkshire Radiators.

A family-run company that supplies bespoke radiators direct to the customer has expanded into new, purpose-built premises to meet increased demand. 

Yorkshire Radiators has moved to a two-storey property on the new Harrogate West Business Park, on Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate. The carbon-zero unit includes a warehouse, spray booth and showroom all under one roof. 

Clyde Williams, who set up the business with wife Crystal in 2020, said: 

“These new premises mean we’re now like a one-stop for radiators. We source the radiators, powder-coat them at our factory in Yorkshire, and deliver them, cutting out the middleman. We’ve streamlined the process – we get hold of the stock, store it and sell it ourselves – so there’s no wholesaler, and for the customer, that means low prices. 

“We’re able to compete with the internet but with personal service – for example, we do site visits. 

“Our competitors typically charge double the price with an eight- or 10-week wait, whereas we can offer the perfect style of radiator in the colour you want, with a lead-time of just a week. It’s fast service with personal delivery.” 

Yorkshire Radiators offers three different styles of radiator – with round, flat and oval profiles – in a range of sizes, 10 horizontal and eight vertical, and a choice of 12 colours.  

Clyde Williams has been in the radiator business for nearly 20 years.

Clyde said:

“Radiators sold online typically come in black, white or grey, but we can colour-match all five components of the radiator – the brackets, pipe cover, valve, air-bleed valves, and the radiator itself, meaning we can find a solution to suit most households.

“There’s a lot to take into account – the size of the room, the strength of the wall, the location of the pipes, and the levels of window-sills and shelves – so if someone is decorating a room, I always advise they start with the radiators and work around those. We supply two Harrogate-based interior designers – Stylesmith Interiors and Caroline Gardner Interior Design – and that’s how they like to work.”

Yorkshire Radiators has also set up an incentive scheme for local tradesmen, which is good news for them and their customers. Local trades interested in this deal should call 07838497803 or email by tapping here.

Clyde, who is originally from South Africa, has been in the radiator business for nearly 20 years and hopes to grow his company into a national concern. 

He said: “As in any sector, if you offer good service and aim to be the best, you can carve out a business anywhere. That’s what we’re trying to do. We do things properly, we don’t rush things, and the results can be stunning.” 

Find out more:

As the season changes, you may not be thinking about central heating any more, but summer is the time to invest in your home, ready for next winter!

If you’re redecorating a room, moving into a new property, or just want a beautiful new radiator perfectly matched to your décor, drop into our showroom at Unit 9, Harrogate West Business Park, HG3 2FN; it’s open every weekday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (3pm on Wednesdays) and by appointment on Saturdays. Alternatively, visit the Yorkshire Radiators website. 

Harrogate based ventilation manufacturer EnviroVent has relocated to a purpose-built zero carbon headquarters just outside the town.

The new 61,000 sq. ft premises on Harrogate West Business Park, near the Army Foundation College on Penny Pot Lane, is the culmination of a 10-month building project.

It brings together EnviroVent’s manufacturing facility, warehousing, head office and training suite into one purpose-built headquarters.

EnviroVent’s 260 employees have relocated from two existing premises on Hornbeam Park in Harrogate.

The new building will reduce the company’s environmental impact significantly and includes many energy efficient initiatives, including solar panels, air source heat pumps and a ventilation heat recovery system to ensure high levels of indoor air quality.

There are also electric charging points for vehicles and LED lighting units and responsive lighting.

Construction of the site

Andy Makin, managing director of EnviroVent, said:

“It is fantastic for the company to be together under one roof in our new zero carbon headquarters.  We are truly committed to good environmental practices throughout our business and these purpose-built premises allow EnviroVent to operate on an even more sustainable basis.

“With much larger premises, we have room to expand and  ambitious plans. Working alongside our parent company Soler & Palau, we fully expect to grow our brand, protecting and creating employees roles, benefitting our customers, our suppliers and the wider community.  We are very excited about the future!”

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The build was carried out by Skipton-based construction company Sutcliffe Construction, working alongside developer of the new business park, Teakwood Developments. York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership also supported the project with an allocation from the government’s Getting Building Fund. 

Daniel Martin, director of Teakwood Developments, said:

“It’s been a long road but so rewarding to reach the end, providing a facility that we can all be proud of. It secures the future of this fantastic business in Harrogate, providing a state of the art facility, with the all-important expansion capabilities.”

To offset any further carbon emissions, EnviroVent has also entered a partnership with MoreTrees, which will plant 5,000 trees per year on its behalf.

The photo shows (left to right) Andy Makin, managing director of EnviroVent outside the new headquarters with apprentices Dovile Stankeviciute and Stephanie Banks, Rachael Tranter, head of people and sustainability) and
Anna Campey, H&S/HR advisor.

The Liberal Democrats have said it was “inappropriate” for the Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Association to accept a £10,000 grant aimed at small businesses struggling during the pandemic.

The conservative group insisted the grant was necessary because the pandemic made it unable to generate income through its usual “activities”.

But the chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats said he struggled to see the similarities between the small, local businesses unable to open and a political group.

Michael Newby, said:

“I thought it was inappropriate to take advantage of the money for businesses who are struggling. I struggle to understand how their income has been impacted the same as small businesses.

“We are all struggling, we, as a party,  have lost out because we can’t have our fundraising events but we aren’t depending on customers or clients and that’s where I see the difference.”

The conservative’s grant came to light after an investigation by journalist Alexandra Rogers at Yorkshire Live, who found that Harrogate and Knaresborough was one of only four associations in the whole of Yorkshire to receive one.

The grant was introduced by the government for companies with a rateable value of £15,000 and received business rates relief. The local association met these requirements.

Cllr Graham Swift, Harrogate Borough Council’s deputy leader is quoted in the Yorkshire Live article and said the grant was used to cover staff costs and rent:

“Our association, like most businesses, was unable to carry out our regular income generating activities.

“The government’s specific support to all these businesses has prevented us from closure, prevented us from laying off staff and ensured that our landlord is fairly compensated for their service.”

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The Stray Ferret asked Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Association for a comment but had no response at the time of publication.

Other Conservative associations in Wakefield, Selby and Ainsty and Shipley also accepted the grant. Their decisions have also been met with criticism.

Earlier this evening we showed a picture of the Harrogate Conservative Club, this was an error and we would like to clarify the club has no connection to the Conservative Association.

A government grant of £1.5 million has been awarded to Harrogate West Business Park as part of a wider infrastructure fund.

The business park, off Burley Bank Road, has been granted funding as part of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s £900 million Getting Building Fund.

Ministers have allocated funding for 300 “shovel-ready” projects across the country which have been agreed with local mayors and Local Enterprise Partnerships.

A total of £15.4 million has been granted to York and North Yorkshire, of which £1.5 million has been awarded to the project in Harrogate.

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It comes as ministers say they have targeted funding at areas facing the “biggest economic challenges” as a result of the pandemic.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, said the money will help to support the local economy as part of the business park scheme.

He said:

“The Getting Building Fund is one of the many initiatives the government has taken to boost our economy ever more critical as we deal the impact of coronavirus.  This has already seen tens of millions given to businesses across the Harrogate district to enable them to survive.

“This new initiative is designed to build capacity into employment sites so that businesses as they grow can up-size.  Alongside this there will be smaller units for start-ups and an increase in floorspace enabling businesses already on the site to expand without the costs and upheaval of moving.

“Throughout the crisis we have focussed much attention on the here-and-now and it has been right to do so.  But it is also right to look to the medium and long-term future and the Getting Building Fund does just that.  I welcome this investment and will continue campaigning to bring more jobs and more businesses to our area.”