The first occupier of Horizon38, one of Bristol’s largest speculative commercial developments, is preparing to open for business. Selco Builders Merchants, the leading building supplies and materials group, will be the first trade occupier to open its doors at the new £85 million strategic development site, which is being built at the former Rolls-Royce East Works site in Filton.
Selco’s new branch comprises 35,000 sq ft of trade counter space on 2.45 acres and is one of the first anchor tenants on the development.
The new store will serve Selco’s growing number of customers in Bristol and the South West. Detailed planning consent was granted for the development last year, with Selco taking a 15-year lease. Selco is currently undergoing a period of expansion and now has more than 50 branches across the UK, including one already in Bristol on Sheene Way in Bedminster.
Mike Forster of developer MSF Filton Limited, a joint venture between iSec and St Francis Group says “It’s great to see a major name in Selco as our first trade customer on site. We are now constructing a further speculative phase of trade counter units which will be complete in March 2018 to meet the demand from similar high-profile trade occupiers seeking representation in north Bristol.”
Chris Cunliffe, CEO of Selco comments, “We are pleased to be opening our second branch in Bristol here at Horizon38. This is a great opportunity for Selco as we continue our expansion in the UK and strengthen our position in the Bristol marketplace. This opportunity will see more than 50 jobs created to support the local community and will also offer genuine career opportunities.
“We first opened in Bristol in 1995 servicing the Bristol builders from our Sheene Way Bedminster branch. Over the years we have developed a strong business and this development is seen as an important strategic move in supplying the building trades and customers, both new and old, all their products and services from under one roof.”
Horizon38 directly fronts onto the A38 in Filton near the former Filton airfield, Airbus and Rolls-Royce Engines manufacturing plants. It sits within the Filton Enterprise Area; the largest and most significant regeneration and inward investment project in the South West and just 3 miles from Bristol city centre and less than 2 miles from the M5.
The scheme combines industrial and distribution buildings totalling 580,000 sq ft with a further 25 acres of mixed employment space including new offices, trade warehouses, motor trade outlets and a new landmark hotel from Village Urban Resorts. Horizon 38 will ultimately support the supply chain of neighbouring aerospace industries and will benefit from further proposed housing development in the nearby area.
Paul Hobbs of GVA, joint letting agent on the scheme with JLL, observes that Horizon38 is a positive injection into the Bristol and regional property market, which has been suffering from a declining supply of good quality space for growing employers since 20007.
He says, “A lack of site options outside Avonmouth, and the wider economic downturn, led to a serious lack of investment and opportunity in the region’s industrial stock, leaving occupiers with little or no choice when it comes to relocation or expansion in the traditional employment areas.”
