The former site of the famous Rolls Royce engine factory at Hillington Park is set to become a major hub of industry again as a major £14m redevelopment project begins construction.
The 132,774 sq ft development, which sits on a site of over 6 acres, meets increasing demand from the industrial sector for modern commercial units, is the biggest speculative new build scheme on Scotland’s largest industrial estate in over 25 years and is part of Frasers Property UK’s continued investment in the estate. Frasers Property UK purchased the majority of the estate in 2017.
Hillington Park, which is already home to over 500 organisations employing over 8,000 people, is located just two minutes from the M8 motorway, seven miles west of Glasgow’s city centre and just three miles from Glasgow International Airport. Regular bus services operate on the Park and two mainline train stations provide direct links to Glasgow.
The new Hillington West 100 & 200 development will see 13 new units with large secure yards ranging from 5,093 sq ft to 25,467 sq ft completed and available to the market by the first quarter of 2022. Scottish construction company Muir Construction has been awarded the project.
The design specification and construction of the scheme is targeting a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ sustainability accreditation. As well as remediating historic ground contamination, each unit will benefit from low-energy and water-efficient fittings, air source heat pumps for heating and cooling, and Electric Vehicle chargers.
The development will see up to 70 construction workers across all trades on site at any one time and over 200 jobs will be expected to be added to the Hillington Park workforce when the new development is fully occupied.
Grant Edmondson, Commercial Director at Hillington Park said: “The Hillington West 100 & 200 development is a substantial commitment to Hillington Park and the Glasgow industrial market by Frasers Property. It will deliver modern industrial accommodation built to high-quality sustainable specifications that occupiers are seeking.
“The site of the new development has a rich industrial heritage going back as far as 1939 when Rolls Royce began manufacturing the Merlin aircraft engines for the likes of the Spitfire. Vacant for over 15 years, we are delighted now to be breathing new life into the estate and investing in a new industrial zone aimed at the modern manufacturing, last mile logistics, engineering and construction services sectors.
“We know the market lacks a supply of high quality, modern premises with large, secure yards. With Hillington Park’s central location in the heart of Scotland’s busiest commercial region, we anticipate strong demand. This is the first phase with scope to offer a further 360,000 sq ft of new industrial development in the new Hillington West zone over the next few years.”
Current occupiers at Hillington Park operate in a wide range of sectors including transport & last mile logistics, automotive, construction services, manufacturing, engineering, retail, technology and the public sector.