Six new units totalling 52,068 sq ft have been completed at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham - with interest high from companies wanting to take space at "the elite "Mayfair" address for advanced manufacturing."
Leading regeneration company Harworth Group, which is based in Rotherham, is pressing ahead with expansion plans at the AMP, completing the second phase of the R-evolution development, whose first phase – 52,000 sq ft of space built in 2014 – is fully occupied, with key occupiers including X-Cel Superturn and Metalysis.
David Travis, director of Business Space at Harworth Group, said: "We're delighted with the quality of all six completed units and I want to express my continued thanks to both JF Finnegan and our appointed project team for another job well done. We are now actively promoting these units for immediate leasehold occupation to advanced manufacturing and engineering companies wanting to be in close proximity to the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and the other high-value occupants of the AMP."
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The scheme will be marketed by jointly appointed agents Knight Frank and Gent Visick. Tom Swallow, senior surveyor at Knight Frank's Sheffield office, said: "We are witnessing good levels of demand from occupiers looking for space on the Advanced Manufacturing Park. The next phase of R-evolution offers flexibility to accommodate requirements from circa 5,000 to 26,000 sq ft and with one of the units already under offer, we are confident that the scheme will prove successful given the lack of existing available space in the market."
JF Finnegan began construction of the latest units in September 2016, with practical completion achieved in April 2017. Construction was funded from a new £2.5m facility agreed with the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Fund.
William Church, director of CBRE Capital Advisors and Fund Manager for SCR JESSICA, said: "Following the success of Harworth's previous SCR JESSICA supported developments, we are delighted to have funded the delivery of further speculative space at the Advanced Manufacturing Park. The provision of such space is fundamentally important infrastructure for the economic growth of the region given limited existing supply; supporting this growth is the purpose of the Fund."
The Harris Partnership, Burnley Wilson Fish, Barton Willmore, WYG, JPG, RSK, RBS Design and MRB all acted on behalf of Harworth in the planning and construction phases of these units. HLW Keeble Hawson and Eversheds also acted as solicitors on Harworth's behalf on the construction and funding phases.
Groundworks have also taken place ahead of the next phase of commercial development. A 75,000 sq ft unit for McLaren has recently secured planning permission on 25 acres of land where "AMPlify" has the potential to deliver 465,000 sq ft of new employment space.
Up to 3,500 new jobs are being created at the AMP which enjoys the full benefits of being part of the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone.
Rotherham Council is close to concluding a multimillion pound deal to dispose of the remaining unit it funded on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP).
Commissioner Julie Kenny has made the "minded to" decision to allow the Council to negotiate and conclude the sale of Unit 4 of the popular R-evolution development. In February, council papers show that an offer had been received for the 22,000 sq ft unit from the University of Sheffield.
The University's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing already employs over 250 people on the AMP in a series of world class facilities focused on advanced machining and materials research for aerospace and other high-value manufacturing sectors.
Advertisement In March 2014, landowners and developers, Harworth Estates, signed a £4.3m forward-purchase agreement with Rotherham Council for Plots 3 and 4 of the R-evolution development on the Waverley site.
The deal unlocked a £2.7m loan from the Sheffield City Region Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Fund, which was set up to support infrastructure and real estate investment opportunities across the region. It was used to pay for infrastructure works and the construction of new manufacturing units at R-evolution.
Rotherham Council was able to borrow money to fund the purchase as it can borrow capital at low levels of interest from the Public Works Loan Board. The deal would see the council purchase the development on practical completion and the authority anticipated that the whole project would be cost neutral or generate an overall surplus on realisation of the asset.
Last year, the Council sold the 30,000 sq ft Unit 3 to X-Cel Superturn (GB) Limited for £2.75m as the global manufacturer of machined components expanded from its 10,000 sq ft facility at the Evolution development on the AMP.
The AMP is the UK's premier advanced manufacturing technology park and is located on the site of the former Orgreave coking works. R-evolution is a 117,000 sq ft speculative industrial development and the site's status for advanced manufacturing, combined with the financial incentives through the Enterprise Zone, the units have been in high demand.
Advertisement Plot 1 (40,000 sq ft) was pre-sold to Maher, a supplier of high-performance alloys, and Plot 2 (25,000 sq. ft) to Nikken Kosakusho Europe, a supplier of precision engineering products.
Harworth is expected to bring forward three further industrial units on five acres of the 68 acres that remain to be developed for employment use at Waverley, followed by a further 21 acres for "AMPlify" – a new phase of employment development to meet the strong demand for space.
Civil and structural engineering consultancy JPG has been appointed by Harworth Estates to advise on the next development stage at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.
The Leeds firm is consulting on the first two speculative units comprising 30,000 sq ft and 22,000 sq ft (split into two) which make up part of the 117,000 sq ft of business and manufacturing floor space at the site, branded R-evolution @ the AMP.
Earlier this month it was announced that Harworth has pre-sold Plot 1 (2.34 acres to accommodate a building of up to 40,000 sq ft) to Maher, a supplier of high-performance alloys, and Plot 2 (1.66 acres to accommodate a building of up to 25,000 sq. ft) to Nikken Kosakusho Europe, a supplier of precision engineering products.
Harworth has also completed a forward-purchase agreement for Plots 3 and 4 with Rotherham Council for £4.3m. It also secured a £2.7m loan from the Sheffield City Region Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Fund.
As part of the Waverley development that has transformed the former Orgreave colliery, JPG is providing expertise on land issues as the 5.29 acre site is reclaimed from backfilled open cast coal workings.
Kevin Wheldale, project manager at JPG, said: "The site needs specific attention to the foundations solution since historically it was backfilled to a depth of around 50 metres and the long term settlement effects need to be assessed. We are also advising on adopted highways and drainage to support the longer term development of the site."
Land owner and developer, Harworth Estates, recently secured a £10.95m loan to provide infrastructure – including foul sewerage and drainage - at Waverley for the AMP's remaining 68 acres of commercial development and 160 acres of housing development.
The contract win follows on from Gregory Projects selecting JPG to work on its joint development at Great Eastern Way at Parkgate. The 50,000 sq ft retail park next to Parkgate town centre has recently secure planning permission. JPG is providing advice on civil and structural aspects for the development with respect to the buildings structures, below ground drainage and surface water attenuation.
JPG is also providing expertise to identify and address any issues relating to ground conditions due to the historic use of the site and previous coal mining activity. The buildings will be of steel frame construction with elevations clad with composite panelling and glazing to the architects details.
Landowner and developer, Harworth Estates, has launched the next phase of development at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham as they expect the employment growth to go from 500 to 1,500 employees following Rolls-Royce's commitment to the site.
R-evolution @ the AMP will be a new, high quality development, providing a range of industrial units, sized from 10,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft on the Waverley site.
Plans were approved last year for earthworks that will allow further development of around 21.5 hectares (53 acres) of land. 5.23 hectares (12.94 acres) of this could provide around 200,000 sq ft of high quality, modern, flexible industrial units.
With demand expected to be high, Lambert Smith Hampton and Colliers International have been appointed as joint agents on the scheme.
Duncan Armstrong-Payne, development manager at Harworth Estates, said: "The next phase is targeted at the local, national and international manufacturing sector. We want to continue the success of the AMP brand by providing business space for local companies to expand and to attract national and international companies to work alongside the existing businesses on the park.
"We are working with a range of manufacturing companies to meet market demand from people who want to be at the "Mayfair address" for advanced manufacturing. There is a real buzz around the park at the moment and to see cranes across the Waverley skyline shows confidence in the site and the growth of the Sheffield City Region as a whole. The AMP is part of the wider Waverley development that is creating skilled jobs and new quality homes. With over 30 families now moved in on the site and many more to come together with continued expansion of the AMP, Waverley is fast becoming the most important regeneration site in the area."
Duncan also revealed that around 80 acres is available across the remainder of the park and that Harworth are already in discussions with businesses that are looking for much larger premises.
Chris Scholey, board member of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "This new R-evolution development will help us to build on the success of the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone - which in its first year attracted 15 new occupiers, created 228 new jobs and was picked out as the number 1 UK free zone by the Financial Times.
"It is understandable that international business leaders want to be able to join our growing Modern Manufacturing and Technology community as quickly as possible - and ready-to-use industrial premises make the transition easy for them.
"Industrial units on the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone are in extremely high demand. I'd recommend that Modern Manufacturing and Technology businesses move quickly if they want to be part of the Advanced Manufacturing Park, which is already home to world-class organisations including Boeing and Rolls-Royce."
Plots within the enterprise zone offer a business rate discount worth up to £275,000 per eligible business over a five year period.
Companies within the zone could also take advantage of enhanced capital allowances (instead of business rate discounts) in the form of up-front tax relief for major capital investments.
Earlier this year, Harworth Estates, the property division of Coalfield Resources plc, sold the fully-let, 87,500 sq ft Evolution development for £7.2m. Current construction work on the AMP includes the new Rolls-Royce advanced blade casting facility and the University of Sheffield's AMRC Training Centre and the Design & Prototyping Centre.
Simon Spode, marketing manager at the AMP, said: "The announcement of the R-evolution development is great news for the AMP. At a time when interest in the Park is at its highest ever level it is important that we're providing a wide variety of property options for the businesses that wish to benefit from being located at the centre of the UK's advanced manufacturing heartland.
"There's a real buzz around the Park, both with the new facilities under construction and the game-changing new technologies and products that are being developed here. Whether it's from the large research organisations or smaller SME firms, the spirit of innovation and collaboration in our businesses is great to see."
Along with the adjoining commercial developments and the AMP, the developers hope that Waverley will create around 7,000 new jobs.
The Harris Partnership, Burnley Wilson Fish, Barton Willmore, WYG, JPG, RSK, RBS Design and MRB all acted on behalf of Harworth in the planning and construction phases of these units. HLW Keeble Hawson and Eversheds also acted as solicitors on Harworth's behalf on the construction and funding phases.
Chris Scholey, board member of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "This new R-evolution development will help us to build on the success of the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone - which in its first year attracted 15 new occupiers, created 228 new jobs and was picked out as the number 1 UK free zone by the Financial Times.
