Former Airfix factory site could become a model business park

The former Humbrol factory on Hedon Road, the main east-west route through the city and to the docks, has became an eyesore in the four years it has stood empty.

But now East Yorkshire property firm Ispace is stepping up plans to develop the 9.5-acre site as a business park with 10 industrial units and spaces for 212 cars.

Close to the docks, the park, which will be known as the Marfleet Environmental Technology Park, is in a key location for the renewable energy industry, a sector expected to blossom on both banks of the Humber in coming years.

There has also been interest from construction companies looking to build affordable homes.

Director of Ispace Simon Dixon said the former paint manufacturer's site was an "absolute eyesore" having been vandalised and twice invaded by travellers.

He said: "At the moment there's quite a lot of interest in the renewable sector, anything from solar to wind power.

"We've also been speaking to one or two people who are interested in affordable housing construction with timber frames.

"There's a tie in with a large workforce in and around that area which has been hammered."

Mr Dixon, whose company has developed the Ipark business park on 15 acres by the River Hull, said the site would be built in a sensitive way. "It has fantastic transport links, the infrastructure has been upgraded and it's in a good position.

"The area should be starting to regenerate rather than continuing to be in decline."

An application to modernise and refurbish the existing buildings on the site was approved by planners last June.

A further planning application will be going to Hull Council within weeks for the refurbishment of the whole site.

The factory was sold in early 2008 for an undisclosed sum to a consortium led by Paul Dixon, the founder of Dixon Motors.

Earlier this year the consortium, named Warmsale, a joint venture between Ispace and Stoneferry Estates, applied for match funding from the European Regional Development Fund, with the help of development agency Hull Forward, to help to develop the site.

Simon Dixon said when they began developing Ipark they did not have any tenants but they would come when the right infrastructure was in place. Because of the recession, the time-scale for construction beginning is far shorter and tender prices have fallen sharply.

Mr Dixon said he was seeing the proverbial "green shoots of recovery." He said: "We are building two units at Ipark which came together in the last seven or eight months. We are tracking two or three food store applications.

"There's a bit happening – it's not easy but it is better than it was."

The first phase of the development will be to refurbish the fire-damaged high bay warehouse and the gutted office block.

The factory, which was famous for making Airfix model kits in the city for more than 50 years, has stood vacant since November 2006.

Marfleet ward councillor Sheila Waudby said residents surrounding the site had to be consulted.

She said: "The residents have got to come first. They've had so much upset round there and they have absolutely nothing – I've been trying to get a play area for the 22 years that I've been a councillor.

"They will always say they are going to create 300 jobs but when it boils down to it, with automation it boils down to 10 jobs. I know we need jobs but people also need to be able to live in peace."