Plans for the £8m construction of three business and warehouse units at Thorp Arch Estate, near Wetherby, have been submitted to planners.
Ash Way V, will comprise carbon net zero units of 19,500 sq. ft, 25,091 sq. ft and 31,600 sq. ft.
If planners back the expansion, Ash Way V will be the latest phase in Thorp Arch Estate’s popular Ash Way development, which started in 2005 and comprises 25 light industrial units, ranging from 3,000 sq. ft to 15,000 sq. ft, with one larger unit totalling 31,647 sq. ft.
Announcement of the expansion plan comes soon after the completion of Ash Way IV which comprises nine units totalling 95,409 sq ft with seven of these, totalling 76,272 sq. ft, already let, including to ice bath manufacturer, Brass Monkey which relocated to the estate last year, and heads of terms have been issued for remaining two units.
Director of Wharfedale Property Management, which manages the estate for owner, Patrizia Hanover Property Unit Trust, Tim Munns, says: “Thorp Arch Estate, with its green parkland setting and proximity to the motorway network, remains a popular location for new and established businesses despite the current subdued economy.
“If approved by Leeds City Council, these three slightly larger units will enable existing tenants to expand on site as well as meeting the needs of businesses seeking premises of this size and environmental specification who wish to relocate here.
“Ash Way IV is twice the size of the previous Ash Way II and Ash Way III schemes so we are pleased at the lettings achieved so far and envisage that we will be fully let imminently.
The three warehouse units in Ash Way V will incorporate air-conditioned offices and environmental features will include solar panels providing free energy to occupiers: LED lighting with passive infrared (PIR) motion sensors and electric vehicle (EV) charging points in the car park, making them carbon net free for typical warehouse occupiers with an EPC A+ energy performance and an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM target rating.
Other features will include access to Thorp Arch Estate’s super-fast fibre broadband, generous allocated parking, secure loading yards and 10-meter eaves.
Thorp Arch Estate, a former war time munitions factory, which attracts businesses mainly from the York, Leeds and Harrogate areas, offers two million sq ft of commercial premises in a 385-acre parkland setting and is the base for more than 180 businesses, from small enterprises to large plcs, operating in local, national, and international markets and employing more than 2,000 people.