Up to 100 acres in the West Midlands could be freed for industrial development, under proposals being drawn up by Gerald Eve.
The Motor Research Industry Association is considering a disposal of part of its 700-acre site on the A5 between Atherstone and Nuneaton in Warwickshire, in the core of the Midlands logistics heartland.
MIRA wants to raise cash from selling parts of the site, which is used to demonstrate high-velocity collisions on BBC2’s Top Gear, to invest in new state-of-the-art equipment and technology.
If released for logistics, up to 2m sq ft of space could be provided in an area where agents claim there is a severe lack of supply.
“There would be a lot of potential for a site this size near Birmingham, where there is a definite shortage of appropriate land,” said one agent.
“Developments such as Logix Park and IM Properties’ Birch Coppice have all let well.
There are a large number of requirements for that area, including Monsoon, Kuhne & Nagle and Wincanton.”
MIRA’s 700-acre site is approximately 5 miles east of Logix Park, where joint developers Rosemound and Scottish Widows have recently let 160,000 sq ft to Caterpillar Logistics.
In April, the jv sold a 350,000 sq ft shed at the park to Insight for £30m after securing Walsh Western as a tenant.
References: EGi News 29/08/06
