New lease of life for 100,000 sq ft former defence building in Leicestershire

A former Ministry of Defence building at Old Dalby near Melton Mowbray is now fully let following extensive refurbishment.

Leading Leicestershire commercial property specialist Andrew + Ashwell advised on the renovation of Rapier House at Crown Business Park, which had not been fully occupied since it was sold by the Ministry of Defence in 1997.

Refurbishment to upgrade the building included the creation of open plan space for manufacturing and storage. The agent has now let the front part of the building, comprising 48,937 sq ft, to independent global composite and glass-reinforced plastic product (GRP) manufacturer KS Composites. The firm is currently completing the fit out of the premises.

Andrew + Ashwell has also recently completed on the letting for the rear of the building, totalling 42,116 sq ft, to Leicestershire-based Pinnacle International Freight Ltd. The long-established family firm is planning to use the space to expand its warehousing and logistics facility.

Centrally located five miles north of Melton Mowbray, Crown Business Park is part of the Old Dalby Business Park, offering mainly warehousing, manufacturing accommodation and land for development.

Crown Business Park totals around one million square feet of warehouse and factory space, with the benefit of central UK location. Set on the outskirts of Old Dalby on the Leicestershire/Nottinghamshire border, the business park is also convenient for the A606 within easy access of Leicester, Nottingham Loughborough and Melton Mowbray and the A46 links to both the M1 and A1, well suited for distribution throughout both The Midlands and the rest of the country.

Malcolm Grayson, Director at Andrew + Ashwell said: “Expanding firms are looking for flexible well adapted space, in a secure environment, which Crown Business Park provides in substantial measure.

“The park also has great transport links that will appeal to anyone looking to relocate from the city, or move to a more central area of the East Midlands.”