Multi-million pound employment scheme greenlit for Huddersfield

A multi-million pound business development that could bring up to 500 jobs to Huddersfield has been given the green light.

Developer The Scotfield Group has received planning consent for an employment scheme with a development value of over £15m at Lindley Moor.

The 13-acre dual-plot site, branded as Summit 24, will offer individual units from 20,000 sq ft to 200,000 sq ft, up to a total of around 250,000 sq ft across.

Infrastructure work is set to begin shortly, with the units set to be completed by mid-2017.

Bilfinger GVA and Knight Frank have been appointed joint marketing agents for Summit 24. Units will be marketed freehold or leasehold, on a design and build basis.

Rob Oliver, director at Bilfinger GVA, said the development is a “rare opportunity” for occupiers seeking premises in West Yorkshire.

He said: “We have considerable flexibility in the unit sizes we can offer, and are already talking to several potential occupiers.

“We expect most interest to be in the region of 20,000 sq ft to 100,000 sq ft but we are able to provide a larger unit than this if required.”

Opportunities are “scarce” for businesses looking for larger manufacturing and distribution premises of more than 100,000 sq ft west of Leeds, he said.

“There is a real shortage of modern and new industrial property across the region at present; conversely we are experiencing good levels of enquiries for new premises as companies look to expand and invest in their operations,” he added.

The business development is located close to a Scotfield residential site, where work is underway on 126 homes.

Stephen Holman, development director at Scotfield, said Harron Homes and Taylor Wimpey Homes had completed the purchase of the site’s first phase.