South Yorkshire is open for business

Strategic sites and development opportunities are putting South Yorkshire at the head of the queue when it comes to availability and location

South Yorkshire is undergoing a transformation. There is a substantial amount of development work underway which is helping to rejuvenate the area, creating prime business premises and opportunities. From urban office chic to out-of-town convenience, the area can now offer businesses a range of strategically placed sites to meet the most demanding needs.

The investment in regenerating the area is arguably one of the largest and most significant in the UK. The scope of public and private sector development both underway and nearing completion in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield is varied and fast-paced: sites are being brought forward.

Sheffield’s jewel in the crown is St Paul’s Place – the centrepiece of the Heart of the City project. This is a £130m mixed-use development designed to transform the landscape of central Sheffield. On its border with Rotherham is the Advanced Manufacturing Park, a 100-acre dedicated technology park. With a clear vision focused on developing a spectrum of high-quality investors to focus on the future development of manufacturing in South Yorkshire, the site already boasts a state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre developed in partnership with Boeing and technology providers TWI and Castings Technology International as tenants.

In Doncaster, a 62-acre business park is being developed alongside the Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, the UK’s newest international airport. This facility, taken together with Doncaster’s existing range of sites, tactical location and excellent physical communications infrastructure, further enhances the offer the town can make to those who wish to optimise their logistics. Barnsley too is making the most of its strategic location, alongside three cities. Along with massive investment in the town centre, bringing forward new, high-quality office accommodation, Capitol Park Barnsley, a £60m business park, is being developed close to Junction 37 of the M1.

Mark Smith, Head of Business Development at Renaissance South Yorkshire, the company set up to manage major regeneration projects by the four local authorities and the regional development agency Yorkshire forward said: “The scope of development both underway and near to completion as a result of private and public sector investment in South Yorkshire is staggering.”

“Not only does the area have one of the best incentive packages in Europe through the Objective 1 programme, it also has a healthy and diverse land and property market.”

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Dearne Valley. Once home to one of the largest coalfields in Europe, the area was severely affected by the closure of its pits and the loss of employment from mining and other traditional industries.
Linking Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster, the area is now completely redeveloped. Modern, purpose-built business parks have created job opportunities and renewed economic success. In the last 15 years, over £200m of private sector investment has been ploughed into the area, with over 10,000 new jobs being created and the regeneration encompassing 250 acres of industrial and commercial development land. Over 50 major companies have located to the area including Ikea and Ventura.

Today the Dearne Valley has been designated as a Strategic Economic Zone, with the largest single development on the site currently underway. Brookfields Park is an 84-acre development managed by St Paul’s Developments plc and will include a mix of office and industrial space in a landscaped environment. This development alone is predicted to create over 2,000 jobs.

To help and encourage entrepreneurs, there is also a range of managed workshops on flexible leases, creating a mix of business, office and hybrid units for small, start-up and young businesses.

Garnet Dickinson Group, who publish titles for the likes of the BBC, EMAP and Trinity Mirror, have invested £20m in a 120,000 sq ft high specification printing plant with office space, and Next Group plc are currently building a 1.1 million sq ft warehouse and distribution facility.

The latest high profile investor to announce their arrival in the Dearne Valley is The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). They have signed a deal to move into the 70,000 sq ft Cyan building, bringing a further 450 jobs to the area. RBS is moving processing and contact centre staff previously located in Moorgate, Rotherham to the site.
Rotherham is also home to one of the largest single business parks in the region. The 200-acre former Dinnington colliery was reclaimed by Renaissance South Yorkshire on behalf of the Yorkshire Forward, utilising funding from English Partnerships. The site is now home to a thriving business park which has been chosen by publishing giant Johnston Press for their new £60m printing facility.

The success is easy to see. Phase One of the development is already full, and even before it is fully developed, Phase Two is attracting significant interest. The development’s close proximity to the A1 and the M1 at Junction 31, coupled with its quality build specification, have made it a highly attractive proposition for companies both inside the region, who require new premises to aid expansion, and those from further afield looking for an ideal location close to major road links.

Part of this success is due to the opening of Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield – the UK’s first new commercial airport of the postwar era. The airport has provided a catalyst for real and sustained economic regeneration both for Doncaster and the wider region. The airport and associated developments involve a private sector investment of over £80m and the project is a brownfield strategic development of regional significance.

In addition, the adjacent 62-acre business park and surrounding development land has planning consent for an additional 1 million sq ft of new commercial activity which, along with the terminal building itself, will create an additional 7,000 jobs – providing a significant boost for the local economy.

Mark Smith underlines the availability and help available with locating in South Yorkshire: “Across South Yorkshire, over 640,000 sq m of floor space, which includes both office and industrial use, can be accommodated now and more than 900,000 sq m will be brought forward over the next three years (2006-2008).

“This shows the potential of the property market in South Yorkshire, and for companies locating in the area, working alongside the four local authorities Renaissance South Yorkshire can help tap into all the information needed about starting or expanding a business in the area.

“Having that local knowledge and expert advice can save a business valuable time and management costs when it comes to relocation or expansion.

“Our task is to demonstrate why South Yorkshire will be of specific interest and benefit to potential investors – to make the case, convince, and secure that investment.”

For further information on investment opportunities in South Yorkshire, contact Kevin Reed at Renaissance South Yorkshire on 01709 766 500;
www.surprising-sy.com