Park life's thriving

Jun 12 2007 By The Journal

Business Park development is taking place right around our region, and Tees Valley builder Rok has started work on the latest phase of the redevelopment at Darlington's Lingfield Point.

The Studios are contemporary office suites prominently located at the heart of the business park.

The development will also be the first mixed-mode work space at Lingfield Point - with a combination of strategically placed windows and natural ventilation to complement the air conditioning, occupiers will have a "greener" option for controlling their environment.

Marchday, the owner of Lingfield Point business park, launched its 10 to 15-year future vision for the site earlier this year.

The company plans to create a flagship, mixed-use regeneration scheme that includes low-energy homes and business space, leisure facilities, hotel and community amenities. Plans also include improved public transport links and use of sustainable, renewable energy.

Elsewhere, the 700-acre Wynyard Park site on the A19 between Stockton and Hartlepool also continues to press ahead with development.

A recent new addition is Java Café. Investment of £150,000 has created the new café and bistro facilities in the impressive, light-filled atrium of Wynyard Park House.

And the business law department of TBI Solicitors is the latest company to make the move to Wynyard Park.

It is to move into one of the newly completed Evolution suites at the development.

During the past two years, TBI's business law office has more than doubled its workload. This success has seen the team increase to 26 staff, including 15 specialist lawyers.

John Walters, head of TBI's business law department, said the 165-year-old legal firm had now outgrown its current office space at Teesdale Business Park in Stockton.

Meanwhile, in the north of the region, investment in business space is booming in Northumberland.

New sites in Alnwick at Lionheart and Greensfield Moor are being developed and there are now a range of interests in the new Ashwood Business Park in Ashington, and developer Gladman is to accelerate its developments on Northumberland Business Park at South Cramlington.

In a joint venture with Tynedale Council, Northumberland County Council announced earlier this year that funding was in place for a new roundabout on the A69 at Haltwhistle.

The project will provide direct access into the Hadrian Business Park and surrounding development land.

Discussions are developing over the provision of a new site adjacent to manufacturer Egger's new £100m reinvestment at Hexham.

Northumberland County Council is also carrying out site investigation and feasibility work to bring on new sites at Low Prudhoe.

The county council added that Cramlington continues to be the area attracting the greatest interest in development.

New sites such as Easter Park are attracting interest, while completion of the last phase of the refurbishment of the Admiral Business Park is the largest project to be completed in Northumberland and has seen rapid take-up.

Plus, the master plan for the West Hartford site will enable a range of markets to be served.

And, on Tyneside, the next phase of commercial development at Newcastle Great Park will begin soon after a ground-breaking deal between owner Persimmon and construction company and developer Esh Group. The pair start on work this summer on 120,000sqft of office buildings - the first commercial development on the 1,200 acre business park since software giant Sage moved its headquarters there nearly three years ago.

County Durham-based Esh Group's construction arm - Lumsden and Carroll Construction - will build the space during the following 18 months at the park three miles north-west of the city.

David Jenkinson, managing director of Persimmon North-East, said: "An incredible amount of work has been going on over the last six years and we are excited to commence the next stage of the evolution of NGP, having finalised the master plan and design and secured the necessary approvals."

The £800m scheme is one of Europe's biggest and most ambitious business park developments.