News: Speculative Rotherham industrial units proving popular addressing the lack of supply

Rotherham’s latest 40,000 sq ft business park is already attracting occupiers looking for modern warehouse units.

Magna 34 Business Park, which was recently completed having been approved in 2018, offers 13 units ranging from 2,538 to 4,758 sq ft and is proving popular, responding to the continued demand across the region for small industrial and warehouse units.

Grinding and dressing tools manufacturer Tyrolit, welding technology firm K-Tig and Mercedes Benz experts DB Automotive, tool manufacturers Tyrolit and car dealership Trade Centre Yorkshire have already each taken units, with three further units currently under offer, leaving just five units available.

Kitty Hendrick from Knight Frank in Sheffield, which is marketing the development alongside CPP for owners Mileway, said: "Magna 34 Business Park is a brand new industrial development, located off Sheffield Road and Temple Road in Rotherham. The high specification accommodation is in an excellent position, close to Junction 34 M1.

“The speculative units provide modern, industrial space suitable for B8 and B2 use built to a high specification, and we have already had an excellent response in terms of interest with the space suitable for a variety of occupiers addressing the lack of small industrial units available in Sheffield and Rotherham.”

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Features on site include 6m eaves height, fitted office accommodation, three phase electricity, kitchenette and WC facilities and full height, roller shutter loading door access.

Max Pickering from CPP added: “There remains a significant lack of good quality industrial units available which has meant demand for these units has been very high. Occupiers are keen to take space that is modern and suits their needs for the upcoming years. We only have a few units left on the estate showing the success of the development.”

The first phase of works at the £31m Business Park were completed in 2008. Located off Junction 34 of the M1, it was built on the historic site of the former steelworks, and before that, a Roman fort.

Richard Armitage, senior asset manager at Mileway, added: "We've been delighted with the progress we've seen on site at Magna 34 since the scheme practically completed. It really demonstrates the strength of occupier demand for this type of product in the South Yorkshire sub-market and we look forward to completing the final few lettings on site in the coming months."

Mileway website

Images: Knight Frank

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News: Official opening for Trade Centre UK in Rotherham

"The largest car retailer in the whole of Yorkshire" has opened in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported last year that The Trade Centre Group had secured the necessary planning approval in order to take on the retail warehouse at Northfields that was previously occupied by Homebase.

The new site at Parkgate opened on May 7, creating 180 jobs.

John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Deane officially opened the store.

The official opening was performed a week after the store opened to the public and selling over 100 cars on its opening day and clearing a third of its entire stock by the end of the opening weekend.

Following the official ribbon cutting, the MP toured the site and engaged with many of the team, most of whom were recruited and trained from the local area.

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Keri Jenkins, general manager of Trade Centre UK, Rotherham said: "It was fantastic to meet John, he took the time to speak to every member of the team that he came across, giving them encouragement and congratulating them on the fantastic start that the store has had.

"Wvery person that had the pleasure of meeting John during his visit were very complimentary regarding his genuine interest in them and the business.”

Commenting on his visit, the Healey said: “Your commitment to the local staff recruitment program is very welcome in Rotherham, it was particularly good to be able to chat to some of your new staff as we went around.”

The Trade Centre UK, Rotherham stocks over 1,200 cars, making it the largest car retailer in the whole of Yorkshire.

Trade Centre website

Images: Trade Centre

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News: Trade Centre UK gears up for Rotherham opening

An expanding car retailer has revealed the opening date for its new store in Rotherham where it will create one of the largest car retail operations in the region.

Rothbiz reported last year that The Trade Centre Group had secured the necessary planning approval in order to take on the retail warehouse at Northfields that was previously occupied by Homebase,

The new site at Parkgate is due to open on May 7, creating 180 jobs.

The Trade Centre Group was established in 1999 and is now the fastest growing used car retailer in the UK with a turnover of £255m in 2019. Headquartered in Neath, the company originally had three showrooms throughout the South Wales region, before expanding into the West Midlands. A former Homebase unit in Rochdale was converted as the expansion continued North with plans to open eight or more new outlets over the next five years.

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The company acquired the 52,000 sq ft Rotherham warehouse in 2019, in a deal worth £6.75m, shortly after Homebase confirmed that the store would close.

The plans showed that the existing building will be used as a 174 bay indoor showroom together with ancillary spaces which include, a dry valet area, small workshop, offices, staff toilets, customer toilets, baby changing, storage, sign up area and waiting areas. The plan is to utilise the existing car park and vacant land that was earmarked for further development to create 812 external car sales bays plus staff and customer parking.

The Trade Centre Group reopened its five outlets in England and Wales last week, marking the reopening of non-essential retail with a record day of sales. The group sold 605 cars on the day, with value-driven car buyers eager to bag themselves a bargain in the group's £3,000 SALE event.

The campaign sees every single car significantly marked down in price, showrooms have been filled to the brim with stock replenished during lockdown and every car available to be driven away in one hour.

Tim Carr, CEO at The Trade Centre Group, said: "It was a phenomenal resumption of trading and it was clear that our customers relished the opportunity to go car shopping again. Whilst we knew that the offers, combined with the huge marketing investment, would make for a busy reopening day, I don't think that anybody imagined that we would sell so many cars.

"The team did a remarkable job in providing 5-star service to so many customers whilst taking pride in our COVID-secure policy which makes the Trade Centre the safest place in the UK to buy a used car."

Trade Centre UK website

Images: Trade Centre UK

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News: Updated plans in for former Rotherham Homebase

An expanding car retailer is accelerating plans to open a massive new car supermarket in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported in March that The Trade Centre Group, had secured the necessary planning approval in order to take on the retail warehouse at Northfields that was previously occupied by Homebase,

The proposals would create 180 jobs.

The Trade Centre Group was established in 1999 and is now the fastest growing used car retailer in the UK with a turnover of £255m in 2019. Headquartered in Neath, the company originally had three showrooms throughout the South Wales region, before expanding into the West Midlands. A former Homebase unit in Rochdale was converted last year as the expansion continued North with plans to open eight or more new outlets over the next five years.

The Trade Centre Group acquired the 52,000 sq ft Rotherham warehouse in 2019, in a deal worth £6.75m, shortly after Homebase confirmed that the store would close.

Now the Welsh company has submitted further details to Rotherham Council planners relating to the area of land which fell outside of the former Homebase site and which does not currently have planning permission for change of use to car sales.

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Plans, drawn up by AP Architecture & Planning, show that the applicant now has until November 14 2020 to formally occupy the building / site to implement the approved planning permission.

The existing building will be used as a 174 bay indoor showroom together with ancillary spaces which include, a dry valet area, small workshop, offices, staff toilets, customer toilets, baby changing, storage, sign up area and waiting areas.

New access off Forge Way and customer car parking is proposed in the latest set of plans. Trade Centre Group sites, typically average 100 customers each day midweek, 300 on Saturday and 200 on a Sunday, with typical footfall spread evenly across the day.

The plan is to utilise the existing car park and vacant land that was earmarked for further development to create 812 external car sales bays plus staff and customer parking.

The site was formerly occupied by B&Q with the retail warehouse having been purposely built for them. It was vacant since June 2016 when B&Q cut back its UK store numbers. Australian retail giant, Wesfarmers, opened and closed a Bunnings Warehouse in the unit in the space of five months before it re-branded as a Homebase in 2018.

Trade Centre Group website


Images: Google Maps / Trade Centre Group

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News: Rotherham retail warehouse sold for £6.75m

Leading property consultants Commercial Property Partners (CPP) has successfully disposed of a modern retail warehouse in Rotherham on behalf of BMO Real Estate Partners.

The retail warehouse previously occupied by Homebase, comprised approximately 52,000 sq ft and is situated at Northfields in Rotherham.

The retail warehouse, which was purpose built in 2009, has been acquired by an owner occupier.

Rothbiz reported in March that expanding car retailer, The Trade Centre Group, had secured the necessary planning approval in order to open a massive new car supermarket on the site.

The proposals would create 100 jobs.

The Welsh company's Rotherham proposals include converting the existing building into a 174 bay indoor showroom together with ancillary spaces which include, a dry valet area, small workshop, offices, staff toilets, customer toilets, baby changing, storage, sign up area and waiting areas.

The plan is to utilise the existing car park and vacant land that was earmarked for further development to create 812 external car sales bays plus staff and customer parking.

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Located a mile from Rotherham town centre, the site extends to approximately 8 acres, the wider Parkgate area is home to a wide selection of retail occupiers including Next, TK Maxx, Holland and Barrett, Frankie & Benny's and Nando's.

Richard Wright, Partner at CPP, said: "This was an exceptionally pleasing result in challenging circumstances following Homebase's CVA.

"The site itself is situated within Rotherham's busiest retail destination and provides a good quality retail warehouse with a very low site cover in a highly prominent position, it therefore lends itself to a variety of commercial uses."

The store was formerly occupied by B&Q having been purposely built for them. It was vacant since June 2016 when B&Q cut back its UK store numbers. Australian retail giant, Wesfarmers, opened and closed a Bunnings Warehouse in the unit in the space of five months before it returned to being a Homebase in 2018.

Trade Centre UK website

Images: CPP

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News: Trade Centre Group get green light for new Rotherham car supermarket

An expanding car retailer has secured the necessary planning approval in order to open a massive new car supermarket in Rotherham - a move that could create 180 jobs.

Rothbiz revealed in February that the Trade Centre Group, was looking to take on the former Homebase unit at Parkgate.

The Trade Centre Group was established in 1999 and is now the fastest growing used car retailer in the UK. Headquartered in Neath, the company encompasses Trade Centre Wales and Trade Centre UK and originally had three showrooms throughout the South Wales region, before expanding into the West Midlands. A former Homebase unit in Rochdale was converted last year as the expansion continued North.

The company's Rotherham proposals include converting the existing building as a 174 bay indoor showroom together with ancillary spaces which include, a dry valet area, small workshop, offices, staff toilets, customer toilets, baby changing, storage, sign up area and waiting areas.

The plan is to utilise the existing car park and vacant land that was earmarked for further development to create 812 external car sales bays plus staff and customer parking.

The Trade Centre Group has already acquired the site. Previous owners, BMO Real Estate confirmed that its Rotherham retail warehouse was sold for £6.75m in December 2019 to an owner occupier.

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Planners at Rotherham Council have been satisfied with the proposals and said: "From a Planning Policy perspective the Council previously proposed to allocate the site for employment uses and a fully employment development would be the most preferable in terms of job creation.

"It is noted that up to 180 No. jobs could be created and Policy colleagues are supportive of a proposed development that helps bring more of the site forward and have raised no objections in principle to the car sales proposal."

Documents submitted in support of the plans show that the new operation would create 86 customer facing retail roles, 52 technical and logistics roles and 12 administration roles. Recruitment began earlier this year.

Further details on dealing with flood risk and road access / widening are now set to be submitted.

With a turnover of £255m in 2019 the group is set to grow revenues in 2020 by over 35%.

Trade Centre UK website



Images: Trade Centre UK

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News: "Region’s largest car retailer" to be created in Rotherham

A recruitment drive which could run into the hundreds is underway in Rotherham as an expanding car retailer looks to pitch up in Yorkshire.

Indicators are that the UK's fastest growing car supermarket chain, the Trade Centre Group, is looking to take on the former Homebase unit at Parkgate, which has had a chequered history as a DIY retail location.

Headquartered in Neath, the company encompasses Trade Centre Wales and Trade Centre UK and originally had three showrooms throughout the South Wales region; Neath, Merthyr, and Abercynon, before expanding into the West Midlands. A former Homebase unit in Rochdale (pictured, above) was converted last year as the expansion continued North.

The Trade Centre UK's entry into Rochdale created 130 jobs and now recruitment is underway for a vast range of jobs at a new Rotherham site which promises a massive 1,200 cars on display.

Job roles include positions in sales, parts, the workshop, logistics and customer service.

The job advert reads: "A completely new car buying concept is coming soon to South Yorkshire!

"Based in Rotherham, Trade Centre UK will be the region’s largest car retailer with twelve hundred cars on display all ready to drive away in an hour!

"We're now recruiting great people to provide outstanding customer care across a variety of customer facing roles including reception, car sales, car finance, handover and warranty administration."

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The Trade Centre Group, founded by Mark Bailey and 100% owned by the Bailey family, has expanded rapidly over the last four years, growing turnover from £77m in 2015 to £257m in 2018.

Rothbiz reported first that the Homebase store at the Northfields Retail Park at Parkgate would be closing. It was previously occupied by Bunnings having been purpose built for initial occupiers, B&Q.

After the 70,000 sq ft unit was closed by B&Q, numerous planning applications were approved in order to increase its attractiveness to potential occupiers. In 2017 this included an application that enables the site to operate as a car showroom which is not a main town centre use seen as entirely appropriate for the site.

The approval means that Trade Centre UK can use the existing building and the wider curtilige of the site (car park) for the sale and display of motor vehicles.

Trade Centre UK website

Images: Trade Centre UK

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