Stoneferry Estates invites interest at site of Hull's 'next big business opportunity'
Friday, July 29th, 2016
Ambitious companies are being urged to express their interest now to secure a place at Hull’s ‘next big business opportunity’ – the 11.2acre Kingston Parklands 11.2 Enterprise Zone site, located at the former Hedon Road Maternity Hospital site.
Stoneferry Estates, a commercial property developer with a 20-year-track record of regenerating redundant sites in prime locations across Hull, says it is ready to push on with developing the huge plot of land in Hedon Road, directly opposite where Siemens has constructed its new £310m wind turbine facility.
With Hull on the crest of a wave given the excitement around preparing to be City of Culture in 2017, and with the Siemens’ site soon to start production, Stoneferry Estates director Tom Healey says a crucial 12 months lay ahead.
“Quite simply, this is a great time for Hull and Kingston Parklands is the next big business opportunity in the city,” he said.
“There have been some great successes for Hull over the past couple of years, including the commitment from Siemens and the £105m investment from Reckitt Benckiser for a new R&D centre, but 2017 is the year that all eyes are on the city, and that is a chance to secure further big investment from major players.
“Despite the political and economic uncertainty that the BREXIT vote has caused, Stoneferry Estates has full commitment to Hull and we see Kingston Parklands as key strategic development site in the city.
“We’ve worked hard over the years to develop many key business sites in Hull which, for one reason or another, have become redundant. Kingston Parklands is such a site, and in terms of businesses wanting a great location in Hull, there are no better.”
As part of an Enterprise Zone, companies choosing to be on site will benefit from business rates savings of up to £275,000 per business over a five year period, as well as excellent trade and transport links being on the main arterial A63 road from Hull docks to the M62.
It had been suggested previously that businesses focussed in the renewables sector may be best suited for the site, given its close proximity to Siemens, but Mr Healey says companies from all sectors, and of all sizes will be welcomed.
“From the transformation of the former Reckitt & Colman site on Stoneferry more than 20 years ago to the more recent completion of the Marfleet Environmental Technology Park on the former Humbrol Airfix model factory site just further down Hedon Road, we have focussed on delivering sites which either attract or retain excellent businesses in Hull, creating wealth and employment,” he said.
“MKM Building Supplies, Gift Universe, Nippon Gohsei and Neill and Brown are all situated on our developments in Hull, and this is something we are very proud of.
“There is a real buoyancy around business in the city at present, and we have seen major companies investing their long-term futures in Hull, as well as a number of small developing firms taking our premises across the city.
“That confidence is great to see. We’ll have preparatory work completed over the coming months and our messages to businesses is, tell us what you need, and we’ll deliver it for you.”