(L - R): Site manager Julian Gibson, Cllr Margaret Meling, Nick Atkinson of HTA Real Estate.

South Tyneside industrial space undergoes multi-million pound transformation

One of the largest industrial spaces in South Tyneside has undergone a £4m facelift and is set to hit the market in the summer.

An ailing former Biffa waste management site in Shaftesbury Avenue, on the Simonside Industrial Estate, has been transformed into a state of the art, energy efficient, modern industrial unit, that is already attracting interest from several businesses.

Cllr Margaret Meling, lead member for Economic Growth and Transport at South Tyneside Council, commented: “This site has quickly been transformed from waste to wonderful in one of the most impressive overhauls of a building I’ve ever seen.

“The old site was an eyesore and the building itself a massive rusting hulk, but the owners, Kans & Kandy, recognised its potential and have invested heavily in creating probably one of the best warehousing facilities in the region.”

Covering five and a half acres, it is one of the largest industrial sites in the borough and equipped with a wealth of environmentally-friendly assets, including integrated photo-voltaic cells in the roof, electrical vehicle charging facilities, high levels of insulation and LED lighting throughout, aim to secure it a Grade “A” Energy Performance Certificate.

The building is being marketed by HTA Real Estate. Director, Nick Atkinson, said: “The building was in a terrible state and needed pretty much everything done to it. It was stripped back to the supporting steelwork and completely rebuilt with new cladding, a new roof and new concrete floor to suit the needs of a modern manufacturer or warehousing operation.

“100 per cent of the green energy from the PV roof panels will be available for the Tenant with an estimated annual saving of circa £100k. As well as offering significant energy efficiency measures, another main selling point is the sheer size of the site.

“It is rare to secure such a high value building with a huge service yard, 360-degree circulation and four access points and located near some of the region’s key arterial routes. We have received excellent feedback from potential occupiers and we are confident of finding a long term Tenant who will invest further in creating jobs for South Tyneside.”

Simonside Industrial Estate offers access to the A194, the A194(M) and the A1(M), with the A19 junction less than one mile away. It is also only a mile from Port of Tyne and just five minutes’ walk from Bede Metro Station offering sustainable public transport for staff.

Cllr Meling added: “Firms that come to South Tyneside generally stay in South Tyneside. We’re a well-connected, business friendly borough that works hard to help companies settle in and recruit the people they need to succeed.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily