Construction of the first units at a new £120 million business park in Worcester will begin soon, leading commercial property developers Stoford and Liberty Property Trust announced today. The development partners have appointed Worcestershire-based Benniman Construction Group as contractors to build the first two units on the 90-acre site.

The park, just off junction 6 of the M5, will provide up to 1.5 million sq ft of accommodation in a range of high quality business units. They have been designed for a variety of employment uses to include technology, manufacturing, industrial and warehousing.

Liberty Property Trust and Stoford were granted detailed planning permission by Wychavon District Council in July for units of 160,000 sq ft and 45,000 sq ft, the first to be built at Worcester Six.

Worcester County Council expects the wider £120 million park to create around 5,000 jobs once the whole development is complete and give Worcestershire’s economy a major boost. Worcester Six is also one of four game changer sites identified in the county’s Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) – key employment sites seen as important in driving the county’s economic future prosperity.

Work on the £10 million infrastructure package for the park is making good progress with the upgrade to Pershore Lane now complete. These works were funded by the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership through the Government’s Growth Deal to improve traffic flow to junction 6 of the M5 motorway as well as provide access to Worcester Six. Utilities for the site, including gas, electricity and water have been installed by civil engineering and building firm McPhillips, which tunneled under the M5 to connect the site the services.

Stoford director, Gerard Ludlow, said: “With the appointment of Benniman as construction partner, Worcester Six is on track to start construction this month, completing in Q2 2017. As the first large-scale development in Worcester for more than 10 years, we’re seeing plenty of interest in the park and are confident our speculative developments won’t be on the market for long.”

Andrew Blevins, managing director of Liberty Property Trust’s UK operations, said: “It is good to have the prospect of new, quality product developed to a high standard, available to the market soon.”

Steven Smith, Managing Director at Benniman, said: “We are proud to be associated with this prestigious scheme within the local area and look forward to working with Stoford and Liberty to deliver the initial phase of the development project.”

Cllr Ken Pollock, Worcestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Economy, Skills & Infrastructure, said: “The construction of Worcester Six is essential to enabling the county to achieve its economic growth ambitions.”

For more information about Worcester Six visit www.worcester6.co.uk or contact the scheme’s agents charles.dauncey@harrislamb.com / nick.hardie@struttandparker.com /james.watson@dtre.eu

Construction of two large industrial units could soon get underway at a key site in Worcestershire after planners gave this important development the green light.

Liberty Property Trust and Stoford Developments were granted detailed planning permission by Wychavon District Council for units of 160,000 sq ft and 45,000 sq ft, which will be the first to be built at Worcester Six.

The site, just off junction six of the M5, will provide up to 1.5 million sq ft of accommodation in a range of high quality business units. They have been designed for a variety of employment uses to include technology, manufacturing, industrial and warehousing.

Worcestershire County Council expects the wider £120 million park to create around 5,000 jobs once the whole development is complete.

Work on a £10 million infrastructure package for the park is also making good progress with the upgrade to Pershore Lane now complete. These works were funded by the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership through the Government’s Growth Deal to improve traffic flow to Junction 6 of the M5 motorway as well as provide access to Worcester Six.

Stoford director Gerard Ludlow said: “We’re delighted with Wychavon District Council’s decision to approve plans for Worcester Six. The scheme is the first large-scale development designed to capture local and regional demand in the Worcester area for more than 10 years and with this planning approval, we are a step closer to delivering the new buildings in 2017.”

Andrew Blevins, managing director of Liberty Property Trust added: “Worcester Six is a fantastic investment opportunity for local technology-based businesses looking to expand their offering in the area. Wychavon District Council’s decision to approve planning on the site is yet another example of the strength of the Midlands property market and a sign of things to come.”

Councillor Ken Pollock, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy, Skills and Infrastructure at Worcestershire County Council said: “We at the County Council are very pleased with today’s decision. Worcester Six gives us the chance to create thousands of jobs and in addition it will demonstrate that the County is a first class place for development and investment. We look forward to welcoming high tech businesses to occupy the units becoming available in this next exciting chapter for Worcester Six.”

Gary Woodman, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Today’s decision is great news. Worcester Six is a fantastic site which is suited to a range of industries, including digital and technology companies.

“For any company that is looking for a new location for their business, which benefits from unrivalled transport links, then Worcester Six provides an opportunity not to be missed.”

Contact Ben Wiley at agents Strutt & Parker, Charles D’Auncey at Harris Lamb, Gerard Ludlow at Stoford or Andrew Blevins at Liberty for more information.

A youth football club in Worcestershire is on target for a great few seasons after it secured a sponsorship deal with leading property developer Stoford. The company has been unveiled as the main sponsor for Crowle Searchers FC.

Birmingham-based Stoford has been appointed to deliver the £120 million Worcester Six development, near junction six of the M5, which will provide up to 1.5 million sq ft of accommodation in a range of high quality business units. It is expected to create around 5,000 jobs. 

The  FA Charter Standard football club, which has 120 players ranging from under-6s to under-18s, will benefit from the cash injection as it prepares to host its fifth annual football tournament in May at its Jubilee Playing Fields home in Crowle.

Club chairman Adrian Coleman, welcomed the sponsorship.

He said it would enable the club to keep annual subscriptions to a minimum cost and continue offering bursary schemes to players whose families are on low incomes.  

They would also be able to buy new Worcester Six branded kits for the players and branded manager coats, as well as help to fund the tournament that attracts more than 500 local players across 70 teams.

He said: “We are very grateful for the financial support from Stoford and Worcester Six. Clubs such as ours are run solely by volunteers, so it’s important to us to attract sponsorship that will allow our coaches to focus on encouraging young boys and girls of all abilities and backgrounds to participate and enjoy sport on a regular basis.

“Stoford’s generous support means we can look forward to a very bright future. We are very lucky to have excellent facilities provided by our parish council and while the club goes from strength to strength, we are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help manage and run our teams.”

The club, which was launched ten years ago with just eight players, was named after the 1960s pop group The Searchers who sponsored its first kit, thanks to the efforts of one of the band’s roadies who lived in Crowle. 

Stoford director Gerard Ludlow said: “As we are working on delivering this exciting business park in Worcester, we were only too pleased to offer support to this nearby grassroots football club. It is doing a sterling job in helping young people in the area access sport. We’re looking forward to cheering them on.”  

Councillor Ken Pollock, council member with responsibility for skills, infrastructure and economy said: “Worcester Six is a crucial investment opportunity in Worcestershire and as such is important for the County and all its residents. It is fantastic that the developer, Stoford has got behind Crowle FC to sponsor them and help promote the team. This will really help with the team’s morale and I hope that residents will get behind the team throughout the season.” 

Mark Martin, Board Member and Chair of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Business Board, said: “When complete, Worcester Six will be home to 5,000 jobs and is a vital employment site in the County, alongside the M5 corridor.  

“It is good news that the site is progressing well and also that the appointed developers, Stoford, are supporting the local community.”

Work on Worcester Six’s £10 million infrastructure package for the park is making good progress.

Highways improvements to access the site have been funded by Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership through the Growth Deal. The £4m project to upgrade Pershore Lane is progressing well and will provide access to Worcester Six as well as improve traffic flow to Junction 6 of the M5 motorway and Worcestershire County Council, working in partnership with Stoford, has begun the programme of work. Stoford was appointed development partner by landowner The Spetchley Estate. 

Stoford is a leading specialist in occupier-focused development. It has delivered over 10 million sq ft of pre-let development throughout the UK.

World class Worcester welcomed rugby World Cup winner Neil Back when our plans for an exciting new £120 million business and technology park were unveiled in front of property experts from across the Midlands.

Worcester Six, which will create over 5,000 jobs, came under the spotlight at Spetchley Park as more than 50 property professionals learned more about the many opportunities the development offers.

Worcester Six will provide up to 1.5 million sq ft of accommodation in a range of high quality business units. Work has started on a £10million infrastructure package and is progressing well.

It was recently announced that a £15 million speculative funding deal has been agreed with an overseas investor for two large commercial units to be built at the site near junction six of the M5. Dan Gallagher and Gerard Ludlow, of developers Stoford, explained how the development will progress.

Neil, an England rugby legend who was part of the 2003 World Cup winning team, entertained guests with stories from his playing and coaching career. Guests also took the unexpected opportunity to handle a world cup winner’s medal.

A £15 million speculative funding deal agreed with an overseas investor for two large commercial units to be built at Worcester Six was announced at MIPIM UK.

The units of 160,000 sq ft and 45,000 sq ft will be the first to be built at Worcester Six, which will provide up to 1.5 million sq ft of accommodation in a range of high quality business units.

The speculative commercial units have been designed for a variety of employment uses to include technology, manufacturing, industrial and warehousing.

Speaking at a World Class Worcestershire business showcase at MIPIM UK in London, Stoford director Gerard Ludlow said: “We have reached agreement with an overseas investor to speculatively build two commercial units at Worcester Six. Funding is in place for the £15 million deal and we are keen to get started as soon as possible.

“We will soon be submitting a reserved matters planning application with a view to starting construction on site at the end of the first quarter of 2016. The two units should be completed by the last quarter of the year.”

 

A £15 million speculative funding deal has been agreed with an overseas investor for two large commercial units to be built at Worcester Six Business Park Worcester Six Business Park – a key development site within Worcestershire and the West Midlands – leading property developer Stoford announced today (October 21) at MIPIM UK.

The units of 160,000 sq ft and 45,000 sq ft will be the first to be built at Worcester Six, which will provide up to 1.5 million sq ft of accommodation in a range of high quality business units as well as providing over 5,000 jobs.

The speculative commercial units have been designed for a variety of employment uses to include technology, manufacturing, industrial and warehousing. The announcement gives the £120 million business park a further boost after it was announced that work has already started on a £10 million infrastructure upgrade.

Funding for the upgrade has been delivered by Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership through the Growth Deal. Worcestershire County Council, working in partnership with Birmingham-based Stoford, has begun a programme of work to provide greater access and improve traffic flow to the Worcester Six site.

Speaking at a World Class Worcestershire business showcase at MIPIM UK in London, Stoford director Gerard Ludlow said: “We have reached agreement with an overseas investor to speculatively build two commercial units at Worcester Six. Funding is in place for the £15 million deal and we are keen to get started as soon as possible.

“We will be submitting a reserved matters planning application hopefully by the end of next month (November) with a view to starting construction on site at the end of the first quarter of 2016. The two units should be completed by the last quarter of the year.”

He added: “This is the first large scale speculative development in the Worcestershire for more than 10 years and clearly demonstrates confidence in Worcester Six and that the project is deliverable.

“Building these units speculatively will give us the best opportunity to attract and secure inward investment into the region and to nurture the local technology-based businesses.”

The development site has been identified within Worcestershire’s Strategic Economic Plan as one of four ‘game changer’ sites – key employment sites seen as important in driving the county’s economic future prosperity, and together  are expected to create over 16,000 new jobs across the county.

Business Secretary, Rt Hon. Sajid Javid, said: “Worcestershire is home to fantastic businesses – iconic British brands like Morgan and inward investors such as Yamazaki Mazak.  With a central location, enviable employment rates, a strong skills base and a number of game-changer sites being developed to accommodate businesses there is every reason for businesses to locate and grow in Worcestershire. For Britain to prosper every part of the country must fulfil its potential. That is why this Government has committed to making the Midlands an engine of growth.”

Stoford is a leading specialist in occupier-focused development. It has delivered over 10 million sq ft of pre-let development and in 2012 to 2014 had more than 1.5 million sq ft of pre-let space under construction throughout the UK.

Contact Ben Wiley at agents Strutt & Parker, Charles D’Auncey at Harris Lamb or Gerard Ludlow at Stoford for more information or visit www.worcester6.co.uk.  Join the Twitter conversation #WorldClassWorcs.