£400m County Durham mixed-use development to create over 3,000 new jobs

640,000 sq ft of prime industrial/warehouse accommodation in five units has reached practical completion and is ready for occupation at Integra 61, the £400m Durham mixed-use development being developed by Citrus Group at J61 of the A1(M).

Set on the 205 acre Integra 61 site, the completed Connect units comprise the largest speculatively developed industrial scheme in the North East for more than a decade. The Connect scheme includes a 298,000 sq ft stand-alone high bay 15m warehouse unit, Connect 298, filling a ‘crucial void’ in the historically low supply pipeline.

A further four units of high quality industrial/warehouse accommodation, ranging from 43,000 to 152,000 sq ft, sit alongside Connect 298 on an adjacent plot centrally located at the Integra 61 scheme. Sunrise Real Estate agreed a forward funding deal with Citrus in 2022 for the delivery of the units and GMI Construction was appointed as contractor.

Appointed agents Avison Young, CBRE and Colliers are marketing the new units to potential occupiers, responding to both regional and national demand for high quality industrial and warehousing accommodation in the North East, where supply is currently at a critical low.

The wider Integra 61 mixed-use development, which is well on the way to creating over 3,000 jobs and adding £2bn to the regional economy over a 10 year period, has consent to deliver more than 3 million sq ft of employment space in units from 1,200 sq ft upwards in addition to some 260 new homes, a new hotel, nursery, drive-thru restaurants and more.

The Connect units will complement the broad spectrum of industrial opportunities at Integra 61, which is already home to Amazon’s 2 million sq ft Fulfilment Centre.

The roadside element is proving to be a great success with the team at Citrus recently securing KFC, who will open a new drive-thru to sit alongside the recently opened Greggs and Costa Coffee drive-thru units. There is strong interest in the remaining plots for a variety of uses including EV charging, trade-counter units and self-storage.

Bellway’s housing development, Clarence Gate, is well underway to deliver a mix of modern three and four-bedroom detached and semi-detached homes at the northern sector of the scheme. This will enhance the largely completed first phase of 170 houses being delivered by Persimmon, known as Millbeck Grange where many homes are already occupied.

David Cullingford, Project Lead for Integra 61 and Citrus, commented: “To have delivered 640,000 sq ft of brand new high quality industrial accommodation to a market witnessing critical voids and where supply levels are struggling to be met is fantastic news and further demonstrates why Integra 61 has become a flagship project for the region.

“The North East industrial market is in good shape with pent up demand and as such, the Connect scheme will play a vital role in creating more jobs and investment by attracting both new occupiers and assisting those already in the region to upgrade their space.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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