Demolition contractors have moved on site as work starts on a £20 million development of warehouse units at a 13-acre canal-side site in Birmingham.
Old factory units are being demolished and the site cleared to make way for the Wharfdale Park development. The Canal & River Trust’s site is being redeveloped by specialist developer H2O Urban LLP.
The development, situated next to Tyseley Wharf, will provide high specification build-to-suit warehouse and manufacturing units ranging in size from 15,000 sq ft up to a maximum of 150,000 sq ft, available on a leasehold basis.
Interest in the units has been high and agents are expected to announce the first pre-let occupier in the near future.
The Canal & River Trust has demonstrated its commitment to Tyseley and its confidence in the market by recently purchasing an adjoining £22 million industrial investment portfolio.
It is further investing in the area by redeveloping the Wharfdale Park site, which will create many new jobs, improve the environment and benefit local residents due to reduced noise and improved traffic measures. Demolition of the existing buildings is scheduled to begin this month (June).
The site, close to both the Coventry Road and Stratford Road, is in an area renowned as one of the most buoyant and successful industrial hubs in Birmingham and is already home to a range of global, national, regional and local businesses.
Companies operating in the manufacturing, storage and distribution sectors benefit from a good pool of labour and excellent transport links to the national motorway network and Birmingham International Airport and Train Station.
The Canal & River Trust development manager Cheryl Blount-Powell said: “It’s great to see work to clear the site finally begin and we’re expecting construction of the first buildings to start in the summer. Wharfdale Park gives us an opportunity to create a high quality business environment which will offer firms the chance to rent a warehouse unit to their specifications in an excellent location.”
Richard Thomas, managing the site for developer H2O Urban, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed as developer on this fantastic site. Like many cities, there is a severe shortage of Grade A industrial accommodation in Birmingham and we are therefore confident that Wharfdale Park will prove to be an extremely attractive option.”
H2O is a national joint venture company owned 50% by the Trust and 50% by private developer bloc Ltd. H2O Urban is working on a series of regeneration and redevelopment projects across the UK to maximise opportunities with the Canal & River Trust.
Harris Lamb and Colliers International have been appointed agents.