Listed property development and investment business Harworth Group has sold the first plot of development land at a former North Yorkshire colliery.
The plot at the former Kellingley Colliery has been bought by CRT Property Developments Ltd, a subsidiary of The Coalfields Regeneration Trust.
CRT Property Investments has acquired 3.04 acres forming part of the main entrance to the site, the first phase of development following the site’s closure as a working colliery. It plans to build small industrial units totalling 39,000 sq ft to support the growth of SMEs.
The organisation will now begin preparation work on the site, with construction of the units expected to begin in April 2021. Completion of the units is scheduled for September 2021, ready for CRT Property Investments to promote to businesses.
Harworth will provide enabling infrastructure to accommodate the new employment opportunities and in parallel will commence the wider facilitation of employment development on the site through a package of remediation and infrastructure works.
Shaun O’Brien, property investment and development director at the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, said: “With the right support and assistance, we are happy to play our part in stimulating new industrial development at Kellingley. The development will provide much needed floor space to support the creation and safeguarding of much needed jobs and opportunities.
“In line with our ask to the government for assistance, we hope to replicate this development in many other coalfield areas. We are pleased that the land purchase has completed and we hope to work with Harworth again to secure further opportunities.”
Chris Davidson, associate director of Harworth’s Yorkshire & Central team, added: “This deal is excellent news for all parties, acting as the springboard to open up the site in both providing quality new jobs for local people in quality new spaces whist creating a welcoming entrance to show that employment is coming back to Kellingley.
“The Konect redevelopment has enormous potential to support the rebalancing and decarbonisation of the UK economy and this deal will act as the catalyst to bring hundreds of new jobs back to site as we’ve promised local people.”
The deal forms a central part of Harworth’s wider redevelopment of the 151-acre former Colliery site into Konect, comprising 1.45 million sq ft of consented manufacturing and distribution space.
Following Kellingley Colliery’s closure in December 2015, Harworth took over the ownership of the site in March 2016. It has since demolished all redundant industrial structures including the site’s two former pitheads, while masterplanning the site for redevelopment. It received planning consent from Selby District Council for the redevelopment of the site in 2017.