Stoneleigh Park set for further £1.8 million investment

Stoneleigh Park has announced further investment of £1.8 million as it continues its transformation into a leading centre for rural sciences, innovation and business.

LaSalle Investment Management, which manages the estate, has already invested £4.36 million refurbishing old buildings, as part of its on-going transformation of the Warwickshire estate into a centre of agricultural excellence.

The latest additional funding will be used to refurbish three more buildings on site to create high-quality office space aimed at attracting companies to the region.

The new investment project includes the conversion of an existing building to create an additional 15 serviced offices and two meeting rooms to form phase two of the highly successful Rural Innovation Centre.

Two further buildings of 11,000 sq ft and 2,000 sq ft will be upgraded and contracts have already been issued for the work.

Colin Hooper, estates director at Stoneleigh Park, said: “This investment supports the on-going transformation of Stoneleigh Park by LaSalle Investment Management and is part of its pledge to spend £50 million to turn it into a science park dedicated to rural and agricultural innovation over 15 years.

“We have already completed 22 refurbishment projects and built a new 35,000 sq ft headquarters and there is a real buzz around the site.

“Our tenants tell us the location and on-site facilities including a farm shop, gym and hotel mean it is a great place to do business and these new projects will hopefully create more jobs and attract further investment in the wider area.”

The Rural Innovation Centre was opened in September 2013 to help small and new businesses in rural parts of Warwickshire to grow and flourish.

The original centre was part funded by DEFRA as part of the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network, aimed at boosting employment in rural areas, and led by Warwickshire County Council on behalf of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.