Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has completed construction works on five new industrial units at Ashroyd Business Park, Barnsley. Constructed on plots 4 and 5 of the business park, the units have been speculatively built for developer Network Space, to meet a shortage of industrial space in the Sheffield City Region, in partnership with Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.
The established business park, which is located adjacent to the Dearne Valley Parkway close to junction 36 of the M1, already houses a range of businesses in its current units, including self-storage and car part companies, and window, door and shower enclosure manufacturers.
“We are pleased to be able to hand the site over now that construction works are complete and the units are a welcome addition to the local area and its economy, providing plenty of opportunity for prospective tenants – especially small to medium enterprises that are looking for an ideally situated, accessible base for operations,” said Andy Sewards, managing director at G F Tomlinson.
“It’s been a great opportunity to work with Network Space, a highly regarded developer in the region and we have built a good relationship with the company which we look forward to continuing in the future.”
Units that G F Tomlinson has recently completed comprise one single 52,871 sq. ft unit on Plot 4B, which is suitable for use as an industrial or distribution unit, as well as four smaller units on Plot 5 ranging from 11,049 sq. ft to 21,882 sq. ft, which will be used as trade counters, storage, industrial and smaller business units.
“Good quality industrial space is in very short supply. The range of space at Ashroyd Business Park has been designed to meet significant occupier demand from smaller and medium sized occupiers and we are receiving a high level of enquiries,” commented Simon Peters, development director of Network Space.
“Thankfully, we have been able to offer virtual video tours, as well as socially distanced visits as lockdown has eased. Now that the units are complete, we are seeing increased interest, particularly due to the flexibility of the space, prime location and great transport links.”
Cllr Tim Cheetham, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture at Barnsley Council, also commented: “We are delighted to be assisting Network Space with such a high-quality development in a first-class location in Barnsley. This is great news for the borough, providing further opportunities to boost our local jobs market and Barnsley’s economy.”
“Our award-winning Enterprising Barnsley business centre team, which offers free guidance on access to finance, recruitment and training, as well as business growth coaching, has supported the development and we look forward to supporting future businesses that move into the units.”
The scheme was delivered with investment from the Sheffield City Region JESSICA Fund and support from Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, and is expected to bring more than 140 jobs to the local region.
