Hitachi developers are back with new plan to create 1,100 + jobs
PROSPERITY MERCHANTS
PICTURES: CHRIS BOOTH
Aycliffe Business editor Martin Walker talks to the team behind the latest Merchant Park development that will bring further prosperity to Aycliffe Business Park …
Merchant Park Developments are once again reshaping the landscape of Aycliffe Business Park – while reinforcing confidence in the North-East’ s biggest business park.
The company has unveiled a £ 9m investment in the first phase of its latest commercial scheme at Merchant Park, a 65-acre site strategically located on Millennium Way.
The project will deliver more than 1,100 jobs across three phases and add a new chapter to a story that began with the arrival of Hitachi Rail Europe a decade ago.
It’ s difficult to overstate the importance of Merchant Park’ s role in the economic revival of Newton Aycliffe.
When Hitachi Rail chose Aycliffe for its £ 82m train manufacturing plant – officially opened by then Prime Minister David Cameron in 2015 – it marked one of the most significant inward investment stories in the region’ s modern history.
Behind the headlines was the determination of Merchant Park directors, not least Geoff Hunton, who famously arranged a helicopter flight to give a visiting Japanese delegation a bird’ s-eye view of the site’ s superb connectivity – to the East Coast Main Line, local ports and the airports of the North-East.
“ Geoff pulled out all the stops,” recalls fellow director Michael Chicken.
“ Hitachi were considering 43 possible locations, but once they saw what Aycliffe could offer, everything fell into place.” The Hitachi project became the catalyst for further development.
Station Place – a £ 4.8m scheme of 10 high-spec business units – followed in 2022, providing more than 50,000 sq ft of space for growing firms.
The latest scheme, on a 17-acre plot next to the Hitachi facility on Millennium Way, signals Merchant Park’ s ambition to go even further.
Phase one is now complete, with a 53,993 sq ft warehouse unit, while planning permission has also been secured for two further units of 89,000 sq ft and 126,000 sq ft.
In total, the development could accommodate more than 1,000 jobs once all three buildings are finished.
“ This is another big vote of confidence in Aycliffe Business Park,” director Adrian Goodall told Aycliffe Business.
“ Manufacturers, in particular, don’ t plan two or three years ahead – they need space now. By delivering a highquality building that’ s ready to occupy, we’ re meeting that demand and paving the way for two more major units”
Delivering such a scheme requires confidence – and capital. Support has come from the North East Combined Authority( NECA), which has backed the development through its £ 35m Commercial Property Investment Fund, managed by FW Capital.
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