Durham
Green Park Business Centre
Durham Green Developments was given the go-ahead to build a 540-acre park near junction 61 of the A1 at Bowburn, south of Durham city, which could create more than 5,000 jobs.
Over 120 companies from 21 different countries now firmly rooted in the city and contributing to Durham's enviable position as having one of the highest productivity levels in Britain with exports a greater percentage of its output than any other UK region. It seems that the 2020 Vision is already coming to fruition as Durham continues to make significant strides to raise its appeal as an ideal place to invest, work and succeed. Size These developments are not just about making Durham a more attractive place to live and work, it is also about attracting more visitors to spend their money in the town's shops, restaurants, hotels and attractions. Indeed, Durham Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986 and is arguably the main draw for visitors to the city and it is estimated that tourism on the whole, generates around £165m for the local economy every year with 13 per cent of all jobs in Durham found in the tourism, retail and wider distribution sector.
Location
New Manufacturing Facility with Rail Connectivity
Durham Green Business Park, Bowburn
The site falls within an allocated area identified by Durham City Council for prestige employment and also comprises part of a larger area reserved in the local plan for a rail freight terminal. The site already benefits from outline planning permission for phase 1 based on a masterplan for 65,030 m² of B1 office accommodation and 27,870m² of B2 and B8 manufacturing and warehouse accommodation on a total of 30.9 hectares of land, with availability up to 202 hectares the site is fully able to accommodate the requirements for Agility Trains.
The planning consent secured in May 2009, including Highways Agency approval, provides for adequate road infrastructure to accommodate up to 5,000,000 sq ft of B1, B2, B8 floor space, which means there is substantial capacity not only to accommodate Agility Trains' requirements but also to allow suppliers and complimentary uses to site next to the on-site facilities. The location of the site is central to both the Tyneside and Teesside conurbations, and therefore provides good links to both locations for suppliers and labour resources.