5th June 2003
MAJOR INVESTMENT ANNOUNCED AT WHARNCLIFFE BUSINESS PARK

Major property developer Priority Sites Ltd has announced a £2.6 million investment in Barnsley. More than 42,000 sq.ft of quality industrial and office units will be provided at Wharncliffe Business Park, Laithes Lane, Athersley. Work is due to start in the autumn with units becoming available by Spring 2004.

The development is taking place on the site of the former Wharncliffe Woodmoor Colliery. Yorkshire Forward completed an extensive land reclamation project, through central government funding provided by national regeneration agency English Partnerships.

Priority Sites - one of the most active speculative commercial developers in the country - is a joint venture between The Royal Bank of Scotland plc and English Partnerships.

John Penney, Barnsley Development Agency Chief Executive welcomed this major investment saying, “These units form an important part of the overall regeneration strategy for the area which will bring new jobs and stimulate inward investment at a local level. We look forward to welcoming new companies to the development site soon”.

Paul Barber, Chief Executive of Priority Sites, said: “Attracting and maintaining employment is a priority. This high specification development will meet the needs of existing businesses as well as potentially attracting investment from outside Barnsley.”

Euan Hall, Divisional Director of Coalfields and Joint Ventures for English Partnerships, said: “Hard work by all the partners has resulted in this former coalfield site being developed into a multi-million pound business park that will kick-start the redevelopment process, attract other developers to the site, and bring new jobs and money to coalfield communities.”

Renaissance South Yorkshire’s, Ian Bramley said, “The Priority Sites development of Wharncliffe Business Park is the next step in the development of a quality business park that will create job opportunities for the local area”.




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www.barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk

Press Contact: Sarah Hopwood
Marketing & Communications Assistant
Barnsley Development Agency
Telephone: 01226 640 086
Facsimile: 01226 286 606
Email: shopwood@barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk

Editor’s Notes:
Priority Sites works principally in areas of economic need and Regional Development Agency (RDA) priority areas, with a remit to attract new jobs and wealth to these regions in partnership with landowners, RDAs, local authorities and businesses.

Its success is due to the fact that it provides speculative quality business premises – outside high-profile industrial areas – that fit the needs of the companies that regional and local enterprise agencies want to attract, bringing new, long-term jobs to parts of England that need them the most.

Unlike many other developers, Priority Sites’ units are available to rent or buy. Visit the website www.prioritysites.co.uk

English Partnerships is the national regeneration agency, supporting high-quality sustainable growth across the country. That means working in partnership to help make England a better place to live. We do this by focusing on four key areas of activity:

Sustainable Regeneration
Focusing on areas of need and helping local communities to thrive through initiatives like Urban Regeneration Companies and the National Coalfields Programme.

Housing
Working together with partners such as the Housing Corporation to relieve housing market pressure, increase affordability and tackle housing abandonment.

Strategic Brownfield Redevelopment
Developing and maintaining a national brownfield strategy, as well as acquiring and redeveloping brownfield land in both public and private sector ownership.

Best Practice
Creating forums for sharing expertise in regeneration and development - particularly good urban design - to inspire new approaches and a better way of life for the communities we serve.

We have been remediating sites and developing communities across the country since the early 1990s, helping to bring new opportunities, new jobs and new hope. All our projects and programmes are developed with both the community and the environment in mind. If you'd like to know more, log on to our website at www.englishpartnerships.co.uk.



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