The new facility the latest building to be completed at popular and successful Horizon-38 mixed use development site at Filton in Bristol

St Francis Group together with its development partner iSec has today announced that it has completed and handed over a new built to suit Global Technology Centre for GKN Aerospace at its Horizon-38 scheme at Filton in North Bristol.

The state-of-the-art facility which comprises of a highly bespoke, built to suit facility extending to 110,000 sq. ft including 40,000 sq. ft of Grade A office accommodation has been pre-let to GKN Aerospace with funding provided by BP Pension Fund. Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd were the contractor, completing construction and handing over this week despite exceptional circumstances at this difficult time.

Talking about the project Gareth Williams, Development Director at St Francis Group said: “When we were presented in 2017 with GKN Aerospace’s vision for a network of regional technology centres across the globe it was clear that this could be one of our more exciting development projects. It hasn’t let us down. We are delighted that Horizon-38 was selected as the location for this centre of excellence and for St Francis Group and iSec to have played a key role in the continued promotion of GKN Aerospace as a leading technology led global business.”

Going on to say “The Global Technology Centre will enable GKN Aerospace to create a world leading facility for research particularly in the areas of wing configuration and construction, meaning intellectual property, skills and knowledge is retained in the UK.

Also commenting, Jane Leedham, Estates Director at GKN Aerospace said: “For such a high-profile project with a continually evolving brief, it was essential that we found a development partner with a delivery team that was both flexible and extremely capable. In return for a long-term commitment from GKN Aerospace, we were able to secure a bespoke research and development facility to rival all others.”

Horizon38 was acquired by a joint venture between St Francis Group and iSec late in 2015 and since then nearly 500,000 sq ft of new high-quality warehouse space has been built in addition to a new Village hotel and Selco trade counters. A new Sytner Car Shop is under construction and a further pre-let just announced with Volvo Cars UK for a new flagship car dealership

For further information visit : https://horizon38.com/