Half of space let at historic Huddersfield Mending Rooms

The 20,600 sq ft heritage Mending Rooms building at Park Valley Business Park in Lockwood, Huddersfield, has been converted to business accommodation.

The development was completed this month, with 50 per cent of office space already let to four growing businesses.

The project has been supported by a grant from the European Regional Development Fund, with the total development costing £2.3m.

The new occupiers are Biofresh, Porky Penguin, Lumley Baxter Asset Management and Foodmate UK.

Ethical food storage company Biofresh is expanding from a 3,000 sq ft unit into a 10,000 sq ft industrial unit at Park Valley Mills and is also moving into a 1,300 sq ft office on the top floor of The Mending Rooms.

Porky Penguin, which provides personal gifts, is moving from Brooks Mill in Huddersfield into a 1,370 sq ft ground floor studio in the Mending Rooms.

Chartered financial planner Lumley Baxter has taken a 2,775 sq ft office on the second floor of The Mending Rooms.

Food processing systems supplier Foodmate UK has taken 2,830 sq ft of space within the building, meaning the ground floor is now fully let.

Martin Duckett, of developer Park Valley Huddersfield, said: “We are tremendously proud of what has already been achieved at Park Valley Business Park and Park Valley House, where more than 150 sustainable jobs have been created already. Once completed, the Mending Rooms should be home to another 80 employees.

“We have been able to transform a derelict industrial site into a modern business park.”

Sarah-Jayne Lishman, of Leeds-based property consultancy Dove Haigh Phillips, added: “We have already let 50 per cent of the new-look Mending Rooms before the building has been completed. This splendid development is supporting economic growth in the Huddersfield area and enhances the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises.”