Relocating businesses is a common sight with some upscaling and others downsizing.
But, for one Harrogate district firm, moving the company which has been based in the same place for half a century to the other side of the A1(M) is a once in a generation decision.
Northern Energy has operated from its headquarters in Hampsthwaite for 70 years.
It was founded by Ralph Robinson in 1932 when it supplied milk and coal before moving to its current base in the 1950s where the company stared to distribute agricultural and commercial oil.
These days, the firm has ambitions to shift into the renewable gas trade.
However, to do that it needed a bigger base.
‘Once in a generational spend’
James Illingworth, Ralph’s great-grandson and director of sales at Northern Energy, said they identified Marton-cum-Grafton as its new home some three years ago.
For him, he describes the project to relocate as a decision made only once in a generation.
He said:
“This is a once in a generational spend, if you want to put it that way.
“We have been at our current site for 70 years. This is gearing up for the next 50 years really. I’m fourth generation.
“We want to keep it as a family business and it’s one of those big spends that we’ve got to make for the future.”
Work being carried out on the new Northern Energy site.
The new headquarters will be based off Limebar Lane on the A168 and is 15 miles from the current home.
The company bought the land from WA Pick and Sons farm and started work on phase one at the start of June.
As part of the plans, 10,000 square feet of office space, a vehicle depot, LPG and oil storage tanks and a new car park will be built.
Mr Illingworth said much of the driving force behind moving the family-firm was the need for space in order to grow the company in the coming years.
“The site that we are currently at [in Hampsthwaite], we have been there since the 50s. We have basically run out of space and it is not fit for purpose anymore.
“The gas storage is what we really need to take our business to the next level and we can’t put it there. That was the main driver for moving sites.”
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The new site will be accessed via the A168, which runs parallel to the A1(M) near Boroughbridge.
Part of the reason for choosing the Limebar Lane site was to take advantage of the motorway system, says Mr Illingworth.
“The great thing about this new location is the access to the motorway, which will give us connectivity down to the refinery a lot better.
“It will reduce our journey times, which will mean we will get an extra shift in and extra load in from the refinery per day.
“It might not seem a lot, but we lose a lot of time going through Harrogate every day on Wetherby Road and Skipton Road. That time that we save will be really important from a logistics point of view.”
Completion of the first phase, which includes the 400,000 litres of gas storage and loading bays, is earmarked for completion in March 2024.
From there, the company hopes to construct the staff offices and begin trading more in renewable gas.
For Mr Illingworth, the site is the next step for Northern Energy in its evolution as a company.
Northern Energy begins work on new Harrogate district headquarters“The site generally is more suited to the size of our business and for future growth.”
Northern Energy has started construction on new headquarters in the Harrogate district.
The company is currently based in Hampsthwaite, where it has operated for more than half a century.
The firm distributes domestic, commercial and agricultural oil and liquified petroleum gas across the north of England.
However, Northern Energy is set to relocate operations to Limebar Lane, one kilometre from the village of Marton-cum-Grafton and next to the A168.
The plans include 10,000 square feet of office space, a vehicle depot, liquified petroleum gas and oil storage tanks and a new car park.
James Illingworth, director of sales at Northern Energy, told the Stray Ferret:
“The site that we are currently at [in Hampsthwaite], we have been there since the 1950s. We have basically run out of space and it is not fit for purpose anymore.
“The gas storage is what we really need to take our business to the next level and we can’t put it there. That was the main driver for moving sites.”
The move to build the new base comes after Harrogate Borough Council gave planning permission for the site in February 2021.
The company said the new headquarters will provide better access to the motorway and reduce journey times for distribution.
Work being carried out on the new Northern Energy site.
Construction at the site is being carried out by Harrogate company HACS and is being built in two phases.
The first phase, which includes the gas storage site, is expected to be complete by March 2024.
Look for a more in-depth article on Northern Energy’s move to Marton-cum-Grafton on the Stray Ferret this weekend.
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Council approves Northern Energy plan to move from Hampsthwaite
Harrogate Borough Council has approved plans for Northern Energy to relocate to Marton-cum-Grafton.
The company is currently based In Hampsthwaite and has had its headquarters in the village for more than half a century.
However, officials at Northern Energy tabled a proposal to the council in February 2021 to move to Limebar Lane, one kilometre from the village of Marton-cum-Grafton and next to the A168.
The plans include 10,000 square feet of office space, a vehicle depot, LPG and oil storage tanks and a new car park.
In documents submitted to the council, the company said it had outgrown its current site.
“Such is the success of the business, the company have now outgrown their current premises on the edge of Hampsthwaite.
“Indeed, the location of the facility, some distance from the local highway network, and the absence of oil and fuel storage capacity on site is now beginning to hinder the business.”
The proposed Northern Energy site off the A168 as submitted to Harrogate Borough Council in planning documents.
The firm, which has an annual turnover of £27 million, supplies more than 50 million litres of oil and liquid petroleum gas across the UK each year.
However, the proposals were met with strong objections from local parish councils.
Both authorities said the development is inappropriate and would have “unacceptable consequences”, such as loss of agricultural land, increase in traffic and the proximity of the site to local residents.
Arkendale, Coneythorpe and Clareton Parish Council wrote to the council to object in “the strongest terms”.
It said:
“The other consequence is of course that valuable agricultural land will be lost.
“Such land is increasingly being lost to development and for us to be as sustainable as a nation we need to preserve our agricultural capacity rather than rely on importing foodstuffs from abroad.”
Meanwhile, Marton-cum-Grafton added in its response that the development was “not of exceptional quality” and “does not enhance its immediate setting nor is it sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area”.
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Strong objections to Northern Energy plan to move from Hampsthwaite
Residents and parish councils have lodged strong objections to plans for a major oil and gas company to relocate to Marton-cum-Grafton.
Northern Energy is currently based In Hampsthwaite and has had its headquarters in the village for more than half a century.
However, the company tabled proposals to Harrogate Borough Council in February to move to Limebar Lane, one kilometre from the village of Marton-cum-Grafton and next to the A168.
The firm, which has an annual turnover of £27 million, supplies more than 50 million litres of oil and liquid petroleum gas across the UK each year.
But two parish councils have written to the council to object to the plans.
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They say the development is inappropriate and would have “unacceptable consequences”, such as loss of agricultural land, increase in traffic and the proximity of the site to local residents.
Arkendale, Coneythorpe and Clareton Parish Council wrote to the council to object in “the strongest terms”.
It said:
“The other consequence is of course that valuable agricultural land will be lost.
“Such land is increasingly being lost to development and for us to be as sustainable as a nation we need to preserve our agricultural capacity rather than rely on importing foodstuffs from abroad.”
Meanwhile, Marton-cum-Grafton added in its response that the development was “not of exceptional quality” and “does not enhance its immediate setting nor is it sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area”.
The application has so far attracted 33 comments to the council, with 32 of those objecting and just one in support.
Council officials will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.
Company has “outgrown” its site
However, Northern Energy has said it has outgrown its current site and needs to move.
The plans include 10,000 square feet of office space, a vehicle depot, LPG and oil storage tanks and a new car park.
The site would accommodate 30 office staff and 20 operations staff.
The proposed Northern Energy site off the A168 as submitted to Harrogate Borough Council in planning documents.
In documents submitted to the council, the company said the current location was “beginning to hinder business”.
It said:
““Such is the success of the business, the company have now outgrown their current premises on the edge of Hampsthwaite.
“Indeed, the location of the facility, some distance from the local highway network, and the absence of oil and fuel storage capacity on site is now beginning to hinder the business.”
Northern Energy is currently consulting on its plans to relocate. Residents can have their say on the plans here.
Northern Energy submits plans to move from HampsthwaiteNorthern Energy has submitted plans to relocate its headquarters from Hampsthwaite to near Marton-cum-Grafton.
The company, which has an annual turnover of £27 million, has been based at its Hampsthwaite headquarters for over half a century.
It supplies more than 50 million litres of oil and liquid petroleum gas across the UK each year.
However, planning documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council say the business has outgrown its current site:
“Such is the success of the business, the company have now outgrown their current premises on the edge of Hampsthwaite.
“Indeed, the location of the facility, some distance from the local highway network, and the absence of oil and fuel storage capacity on site is now beginning to hinder the business.”
The company wants to build its new headquarters on Limebar Lane, one kilometre from the village of Marton-cum-Grafton.
The plans include 10,000 square feet of office space, a vehicle depot, LPG and oil storage tanks and a new car park.
The site would accommodate 30 office staff and 20 operations staff.
Established in 1932 by Ralph Robinson, the grandfather of current chairman, Howard Illingworth, the company originally began collecting milk from farmers and supplying coal to local people.
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