Derwent Group to add industrial at Glasshouse
The developer will this week submit plans for the £12m redevelopment of Glasshouse Business Park in Wigan.
The Derwent Group intends to bring 119,000 sq ft of industrial space to the market at the site, on the key A49 Warrigton Road between the town centre and the M6, as it seeks to further develop a 9.7-acre site that currently includes 40,000 sq ft of offices in six buildings.
Derwent’s proposal includes a new 105,000 sq ft unit to the east of the site and 16,500 sq ft of space, split into seven units, to the west.
Andrew Day, senior asset manager for the group, said: “Given the increased demand for good quality industrial space on the M6/A49 corridor and the site’s large acreage, as well as our appetite for a greater presence in the industrial market, Glasshouse’s future will be best served by these plans.
“This planning application forms an important part of the ongoing development of our existing land stock and will add a key asset to our expanding industrial portfolio.”
Previous schemes in the sector by the business include Mill Lane Trade Park in Liverpool, developed in 2017 and now fully let. Derwent also saw Huyton Trade Park fill up in 2020.
The project team includes AEW Architects and Avison Young’s planning team, as well as Artal, Systra, WML, Zerum and Safer Sphere.
Avison Young and Parkinson Real Estate will be joint letting agents for the scheme.
Ruth Leighton, director at Avison Young, said: “In the second half of 2020, big box take up was well above the five-year average across the North West, demonstrating the high demand for industrial space across the region.
“With the limited availability of quality stock, driven by the boom in online shopping and shifting consumer habits due to the pandemic, the redevelopment of Glasshouse Business Park will be a much sought after development in a strategic location.”
Derwent hopes to be on site in August, should it secure consent.
Current occupiers at the site include Total Fitness, engineering and construction consultant NRL and The British Heart Foundation.
