Leeds developer sells 57-acre site with potential for 800 new regional jobs

Keyland Developments Ltd has sold the regional 57-acre North Bierley Water Treatment Works site to Opus North for an undisclosed sum.

Opus North will start on site in Q1 2020 developing the first unit of a total circa 370,000 sq ft new industrial scheme designed to address regional supply shortages.

Keyland secured planning consent in 2018 from Kirklees Council to regenerate the extensive site - which has been redundant for almost 20 years - into a commercial development of around 400,000 sq ft of industrial and employment space.

The site could deliver up to 800 new jobs, and is located at the major intersection of the M62 Transpennine motorway and M606 Bradford link. It was launched to market at the end of 2018 by Dove Haigh Phillips.

Peter Garrett, Keyland Developments Ltd’s MD, said: “The sale of the North Bierley site will make significant headway in providing new industrial accommodation and employment opportunities in a region that is currently experiencing severe shortages.

“The delivery of a major employment scheme, as facilitated by the planning consent, will also help to support businesses in the local area and bring about new jobs.

“Unlocking strategic, dormant land such as this across Yorkshire is critical to the region’s economic success and we are excited to see Opus North realise the wider vision for this important site.”

The purchase by Opus North is said to reflect the Yorkshire-based developer’s focus on the industrial and logistics sector following the delivery of several major retail schemes across the North of England and will add to its current £150m development programme.

Delivery of the new scheme, which will be branded as Interchange 26, is timelined for Q1 2021.

Andrew Duncan, Opus North’s managing director, added: “The acquisition of this key site forms part of our wider aspirations within the logistics sector where we see strong opportunities to deliver schemes of excellence to address the chronic shortages of high quality industrial and logistics space.

“This is an immediately deliverable opportunity for us and we are already in discussions with potential occupiers for the first unit at Interchange 26, which will be underway towards the start of next year.”

Dove Haigh Phillips marketed the site for Keyland Developments with Shulmans providing legal advice on the sale, and Knight Frank provided assistance on the acquisition for Opus North.