Work begins on major new distribution hub at Thorp Arch Estate

Construction work is underway on a giant distribution hub at Thorp Arch Estate near Wetherby following one of Yorkshire’s biggest commercial property deals of the last 12 months.

Hobson & Porter, the Hull-based construction company, won the contract to build the 62,925 sq ft depot, Unit 512, for drinks distributor, Matthew Clark Wholesale Ltd, which is relocating from Dunnington, near York.

Property and construction consultants, LHL Group, York, will manage the construction for Thorp Arch Estate owner, Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust.

Unit 512 will be the third biggest unit on the 385-acre Thorp Arch Estate and the largest warehouse that Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust has built for a new tenant.

The new distribution hub, which will be ready for occupation this summer, will feature nine dock levellers, two level-entry goods access doors, a large goods yard and 6,350 sq ft of office space.

Matthew Clark Wholesale Ltd, which has its national headquarters in Bristol, has more than 200 years’ experience of supplying drinks, hospitality training, labour management and marketing support to more than 16,000 premises in the UK.

The company will relocate 90 of its staff to Thorp Arch Estate.

Hobson & Porter has also been appointed to build seven new speculative industrial units and a purpose-designed, 12,800 sq ft office and laboratory extension for biotechnology company, Avacta Group Plc.

The new light industrial units, which are expected to be ready by June, will comprise four units of 3,000 sq ft each and three units of 4,000 sq and will extend the existing Ash Way development.

Alex Edwards, contracts manager at Hobson & Porter, said: “We are looking forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with Rockspring on the Thorp Arch Estate and are thrilled to be extending our operations into North Yorkshire. We have a dedicated and experienced team to deliver the two schemes and are looking forward to developing a long-term alliance with the estate and its owners during the coming years.”

Tim Munns, director of Wharfedale Property Management, added: “We’re pleased to be working with Hobson & Porter who have started work on the significant new-build schemes. The new buildings will provide quality accommodation and continue the process of redeveloping and upgrading the buildings on the estate which is Leeds’ largest employment site North of the city.”

The two-million sq ft Thorp Arch Estate is base for a diverse range of more than 140 businesses, from startups to large Plcs, operating in local, national and international markets and employing more than 1,800 people.

Thorp Arch Retail Park, which forms part of the estate, was the first out-of-town shopping centre in the country when it opened in 1959 and is complemented by a variety of leisure facilities.

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