Huge unit near Knaresborough let to global potato storage firmPlans for 9 more warehouses at business park near A1(M)

Plans have been submitted for a further expansion of the Harrogate 47 business park next to the A1 (M) near Knaresborough.

Described as a “sustainable employment development,” the site is off junction 47 of the motorway and once completed will include employment space for office, hi-tech and logistics businesses.

It’s one of the key employment sites in the former Harrogate Borough Council Local Plan with the potential to bring 2,000 jobs to the district.

The development is being brought forward by Flaxby Investment LLP, which is a joint venture between Opus North and Bridges Fund Management.

The developer won planning permission from Harrogate Borough Council to develop part of the site last year.
It is bringing the development forward in stages and is now seeking permission to build nine further warehouses with a total size of 129,953 sq ft.

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The first four warehouses would be located close to the Flaxby roundabout that was completed in 2014. These will be smaller starter units for business with a size of under 5,000 sq. ft each. The remaining larger units would be situated close to the Ilke Homes factory which produces modular homes. The plans include 72 car parking spaces that would also be added to the site.

Speaking previously about the scheme, Ryan Unsworth, development director at Opus North said:

“This development is key for the Harrogate and wider North Yorkshire economy due to its capacity to transform vacant land into office and industrial space for local, regional and national occupiers, and the vast job-creating potential it has.

“The delivery of Harrogate 47 will allow local companies to expand and grow within the region in addition to attracting inward investment into the district.”

The application will be decided by North Yorkshire Council at a later date.

Plans in for 2,000-job business park near Knaresborough

The developers behind a new business park near Knaresborough that could create up to 2,000 jobs have formally submitted proposals.

Opus North and Bridges Fund Management have sent plans to Harrogate Borough Council to transform a 45-acre site into a mixed-use development designed to support offices, logistics operators and tech firms.

The site – to be called Harrogate 47 – is located at Flaxby near junction 47 of the A1(M) and was acquired by the developers in October last year.

It is allocated as the main strategic employment site in the council’s Local Plan and already has existing planning permission for more than half a million square feet of employment space.

The new plans include up to 130,000 sq ft of office accommodation, about 75,000 sq ft of tech starter units and approximately 430,000 sq ft for logistics and warehouses.

A spokesperson for the developers said the existing planning permission allows for the commencement of the site’s enabling works so it can be made “oven-ready” for the main construction to start as soon as the new consent is granted.

Guy Bowden, a partner at Bridges Fund Management, added:

“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 that the plots are ready for construction to begin, which could be as early as summer 2021, and our appointed agents are already in detailed discussions with potential occupiers who have expressed an interest in the scheme.”

The appointed industrial agents for Harrogate 47 are CBRE and Gent Visick, with the office enquiries directed to the office agency teams at CBRE.

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Oliver Freer, from CBRE’s northern planning team, which prepared the planning application, said:

“The new masterplan for Junction 47 responds to the market demand for employment accommodation for office, hi-tech/hybrid and logistics uses in this location, and is in accordance with the land allocation of the site.

“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.”

Ryan Unsworth, development director of Opus North, added:

“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 that our application captures these aspects and look forward to seeing the initial works start on site to facilitate development.”

Plans for new business park near Knaresborough

A property developer has submitted formal plans for a business park on land near Knaresborough.

Opus North, based in Ilkley, and Bridge Fund Management, based London, bought the site from a private individual earlier this year.

At the time the developers said the 38-acre site could support 2,000 jobs and could make a “significant contribution” to the local economy.

Plans submitted to Harrogate Borough Council include offices, light industry, start-up units, pubs and takeaways.

The Stray Ferret approached Opus North for a comment but received no reply by the time of writing.

Ryan Unsworth, development director of Opus North, previously told us:

“This is a site with clear potential to make a significant contribution to the local economy through job creation and also through the delivery of high-quality office and logistics accommodation to meet existing and future market demand.

“With our joint venture partner, we are in a position to bring this development to life and are looking forward to continuing our discussions with both the council and local stakeholders to create an exemplar development to address the local and regional shortages of employment space.”

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The site, located south-west of junction 47 of the A1(M) and next to Flaxby Park is allocated as an employment site in Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan, which sets out the area’s policy and planning framework until 2035.

It has existing planning permission for over half a million square feet of development for employment uses.