Site sale brings jobs hope to Telford

Hundreds of new jobs could be created in Telford after a 16-acre industrial site was sold for almost £2 million.

The former Plastic Omnium factory in Halesfield has lain empty for almost four years after the automotive car parts giant closed with the loss of 200 jobs. But the 200,000 sq ft factory on Halesfield 7 has now been bought by a development company which plans to split the site up in a move which could create hundreds of jobs.

Commercial property company Bulleys, in Telford, completed the sale with Yorkshire-based Prospect Estates this week, with work to develop the site starting Monday.

Agent Matthew Tilt, of Bulleys, said: "We're thrilled that Prospect Estates has the confidence to invest in Telford in such a substantial sale. The company plans to split it up and create a mini-estate which will be marketed."

Director of new business at Prospect Estates, Tim Whittaker, confirmed the sale had been completed for almost £2 million.

"We acquire empty factories and sites around the country and carve them up into smaller spaces.

"It's very hard to find someone to take on 200,000 sq ft in 2010, it would be a struggle and this was purpose-built for Plastic Omnium. What we will do is carve it up into around 10 different units and offer it back to the market in lots, so instead of a single occupier there will be a few.

"How many jobs it will create is the million dollar question, but if the units went to manufacturing, potentially it could create the same amount of jobs if not more than the number lost there before."

The units will be available to buy or let, with units star-ting from about 8,000 sq ft.

Mr Whittaker added: "We hope to have the basic works done into September, although we are offering it as available now, and although we are market-led, we'd expect us to finish in March or April next year."

He said Telford appealed to the firm as it had completed developments in the town before. He said: "It seemed to us that there weren't many small freeholds available and this was a market opportunity."

As well as the industrial units, the site has a two-storey office block of around 10,000 sq ft.

By Business Editor Amy Bould