Harris Lamb has successfully negotiated the sale of two thirds of the former Sealine site to manufacturers, leaving one final portion of the Kidderminster site open to offers.
The well-known Whitehouse Road site was a landmark in the town for more than four decades before luxury boat builder Sealine went into administration in April 2013, Harris Lamb and Jones Lang LaSalle were instructed by administrators to sell the site, which was offered as a whole or as three separate parts.
Occupying a site of 11.38 acres, and comprising of buildings with a total area of circa 260,000 sq ft, the size, quality and location of the premises attracted a lot of interest, representing a rare opportunity within the marketplace.
Charles D’Auncey, Director at Harris Lamb, said: “We have now sold lots one and two at the site, which leaves the final 100,000 sq ft lot remaining.
“Premises of this size are a rare occurrence on a freehold basis, and with a huge influx of manufacturing investment into the Worcestershire area, this represents a massive opportunity for the right buyer.
“A high-bay warehouse with ancillary offices, gantry cranes and a substantial power supply, the final Sealine lot is best-suited to a large-scale manufacturer seeking extensive space and excellent access links to the whole of the UK,” he added.
The first lot, covering 60,000 sq ft, was purchased by Quantum Mouldings earlier this year after the business, which manufactures fibreglass products and components, outgrew its Stourbridge site. The company has since embarked on an extensive growth and recruitment plan following the £1.2m relocation and refurbishment.
The second 75,000 sq ft lot has now been purchased by NTM, an engineering company specialising in the development, manufacture, sale and maintenance of refuse and recycling collection vehicles. The business has relocated to Kidderminster from its Wilenhall premises, finding the site ideal for its needs, and providing job opportunities to the region.
Mike Harris, of NTM, said: “The Former Sealine site appealed to NTM partly due to the building’s high eaves, which proved hard to find on the commercial property market and also the fact that 10Tonne-20Tonne overhead cranes were already set up. This saved us a lot of time, hassle and money.
“The location of the site was important to NTM – working closely with Wyre Forrest Council we were able to identify Kidderminster as an assisted area, this meant that we could bring new skilled and semi skilled employment opportunities to an area of high unemployment and also benefit from a good pool of skilled people looking for work. Kidderminster fits well with NTM’s Goals and Values.
“Harris Lamb were extremely helpful from our first point of contact right the way through to completion. Within one day of making contact we were able to visit the site for a thorough walk around and all of our questions were answered without hesitation. From there we were offered guidance on surveying, project management and ultimately the business rate set up, making Harris Lamb a one stop shop for every tool we needed for the purchase of the premises. I would highly recommend them,” he added.
