Developers buy chunk of Sunderland Nissan site

Car manufacturer Nissan is undertaking a £4.5m expansion of its Sunderland plant and has sold a chunk of land for development as a business park. North East property developers Wilton Developments and Clugston Developments are to develop a 690,000 sq ft park with office space, light industrial units, a hotel and car showroom on the land. The park will be located on a 45-acre site alongside Nissan’s Sunderland plant which the developers have purchased in a joint venture called Barmston Developments. Jason Stowe, director at Wilton Developments, said: “A masterplan for the site is underway and we are already in discussions with Sunderland City Council about the submission of an early planning application for 700,000 sq ft of commercial development. “This will include offices, light industrial, warehouses, hybrid units, motor retail, hotel, leisure and ancillary retail uses.” Bob Culliford, MD of Clugston Developments, said: “This scheme forms part of Clugston Development’s planned growth programme, providing an opportunity to use our experience in delivering major developments with significant infrastructure requirements.” Work on the 200,000 sq ft logistics centre extension to the Nissan plant will begin later this month and is scheduled to be fully operational by February 2008. Sunderland council, in partnership with Wilton, Clugston and One NorthEast, brokered the deal which could bring as many as 4,000 jobs to the city.