The first of ten new industrial units at the multi-million-pound development site are now under construction after plans were recently approved by Sunderland City Council for the creation of a new, 55-acre, commercial/industrial business park, that will be known as Hillthorn Business Park.
Hillthorn Business Park will be located at a former farm site in Washington and is part of the city’s ambitious plans to regenerate the area.
The site itself is strategically located in close proximity to the International Advanced Manufacturing Park and Turbine Business Park. It is also extremely well connected to local and national road networks, providing excellent access to the North of England and the rest of the UK and Europe through the Ports of Sunderland and Tyne.
Described as being ‘built for the next generation of industrial excellence’, the business park will comprise ten operationally Net-Zero Carbon (Net Zero) units with circa 600,000sq. ft. of lettable space for industrial, storage and distribution businesses, supporting the city’s economic growth and creating 1,600 jobs for the local community.
We were appointed by Marick Real Estate to provide public utility supplies, civil, structural, strategic energy services and MEP building services for the development, and the recommendations that have already been put forward by the civil and structural team have resulted in overall cost savings for the client as well as minimalising the export of materials off site.
Furthermore, our strategic energy team carried out an initial feasibility study into the incorporation of solar PV and battery energy storage to the development. The assessment focused on achieving operationally “Net-Zero” units by offsetting carbon emissions related to energy consumption, while maintaining financial viability.
Company Director and Project Leader, Paul Housego said:
“We are delighted that the plans were approved and construction is now underway on-site. This is a fantastic scheme that will benefit Sunderland in terms of both economic development and employment opportunities, and one that we are proud to be part of.”
Now that construction is underway, the ambition is that the new inward tenant units will be fully built out by 2023.
