Construction work underway on 140,000 sq ft sustainable industrial scheme in Harrogate

Work is now underway to clear the site of former College buildings in the middle of Hornbeam Park, which was vacated by Harrogate College.

The area has been consolidated onto a single site following a £6m investment in new facilities.

GMI Construction has been appointed as main contractors of a new 140,000 sq.ft. industrial scheme, for which planning permission was granted in April for B1,B2 and B8 uses.

Hornbeam Park Developments Ltd, which owns the majority of the other buildings on Hornbeam Park, is delivering the environmentally friendly, sustainable, low maintenance industrial and warehouse buildings.

The Garnett Netherwood-designed scheme will consist of five separate buildings, each of approximately a 20,000 sq.ft. footprint.

The two buildings, fronting Hornbeam Park Avenue, will also incorporate a lower ground floor in addition, taking the total size to 40,500 sq.ft. Two rear buildings will have 9m eaves, the remaining three all have 6m eaves.

Each of the buildings is designed to be capable of being sub-divisible to create a range of sizes from 6,849 sq.ft. to 11,800 sq.ft.

The units are designed to be flexible in their adaptability, low maintenance, economical in ongoing running and energy costs and sustainable and futureproofed.

A key feature is the incorporation of underfloor heating in both lower ground and ground floors of all buildings. Combined with LED lighting and PIR controls, the buildings are energy efficient.

The installation of full height double glazed windows around the perimeter with double glazed opening roof lanterns will facilitate natural ventilation through the building. This is designed to minimise the need for artificial ventilation and/or cooling.

Chris Robbins of Robbins Associates, which is the letting agent for the scheme, said: “Not only are there very few alternatives available in the Harrogate area but there is certainly nothing of a comparable quality, efficiency and flexibility of design.”

“This scheme is similar to a building that Hornbeam Park Developments built in Knaresborough three years ago, but have further improved on that specification.

“We have taken a number of potential tenants around that building and they are all struck by the universal approval that the employees in the building have of their place of work and the directors’ enthusiasm about their landlord. It is extremely rare for that type of response.”