GMI Construction Group PLC

640,000 Sq Ft Of Industrial/Warehouse Space Ready For Immediate Occupation In The North East

640,000 sq ft of prime industrial/warehouse accommodation in five units has reached practical completion and is ready for occupation at Integra 61, the £400M Durham mixed-use development being developed by Citrus Group at J61 of the A1(M). Set on the 205 acre Integra 61 site, the completed Connect units comprise the largest speculatively developed industrial scheme in the North East for more than a decade.

The Connect scheme includes a 298,000 sq ft stand-alone high bay 15m warehouse unit, Connect 298, filling a crucial void in the historically low supply pipeline. A further four units of high quality industrial/warehouse accommodation, ranging from 43,000 to 152,000 sq ft, sit alongside Connect 298 on an adjacent plot centrally located at the Integra 61 scheme.

Sunrise Real Estate agreed a forward funding deal with Citrus in 2022 for the delivery of the units and GMI Construction was appointed as contractor. Appointed agents Avison Young, CBRE and Colliers are marketing the new units to potential occupiers, responding to both regional and national demand for high quality industrial and warehousing accommodation in the North East, where supply is currently at a critical low.

The wider Integra 61 mixed-use development, which is well on the way to creating over 3,000 jobs and adding £2 billion to the regional economy over a 10 year period, has consent to deliver more than 3 million sq ft of employment space in units from 1,200 sq ft upwards in addition to some 260 new homes, a new hotel, nursery, drive-thru restaurants, vehicle dealerships and trade counter/retail units.

The Connect units will complement the broad spectrum of industrial opportunities at Integra 61, which is already home to Amazon’s 2 million sq ft Fulfilment Centre.

The roadside element is proving to be a great success with the team at Citrus recently securing KFC, who will open a new drive-thru to sit alongside the recently opened Greggs and Costa Coffee drive-thru units. There is strong interest in the remaining plots for a variety of uses including EV charging, trade-counter units and self-storage.

Bellway’s 91-unit housing development (Clarence Gate) is well underway to deliver a mix of modern three and four-bedroom detached and semi-detached homes at the northern sector of the scheme. This will enhance the largely completed first phase of 170 houses being delivered by Persimmon, known as Millbeck Grange where many homes are already occupied.

David Cullingford, Project Lead for Integra 61 and Citrus, said:

“To have delivered 640,000 sq ft of brand new high quality industrial accommodation to a market witnessing critical voids and where supply levels are struggling to be met is fantastic news and further demonstrates why Integra 61 has become a flagship project for the region. The North East industrial market is in good shape with pent up demand and as such, the Connect scheme will play a vital role in creating more jobs and investment by attracting both new occupiers and assisting those already in the region to upgrade their space.”

Matthew Stevens, Head of Development at Sunrise Real Estate, commented:

“We are pleased to see the Connect scheme come together to deliver exceptional quality at a range of sizes to meet the needs of local and international businesses. The five units benefit from a skilled local labour pool and high levels of regional public investment and are set bring meaningful job creation to the North East.

“The community engagement undertaken by the project team has been excellent, providing a range of apprenticeships and workshops upskilling over 100 young members of the community. We’re very proud of the social and economic impact delivered by the project overall, benefiting businesses and people alike.”

Gary Oates, GMI Construction’s Regional Director for the North East, said:

“We are exceptionally proud to bring the Connect scheme at Integra 61 to practical completion, demonstrating our capabilities and expertise in the construction of large industrial units and fulfilment centres. This significant project is a great example of the collaboration between Citrus as a proactive developer, our experienced North East team and predominately local supply chain. These much-needed facilities will benefit the region, helping to attract UK and international businesses to the region and provide a boost to the North East economy.”

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, leader of Durham County Council, said: “Integra 61 is bringing opportunities to attract business to County Durham, creating thousands of high-quality jobs and boosting our local economy. Supporting the development of sites such as this has long been a priority for the council and is a key theme in our Inclusive Economic Strategy; developing places and infrastructure so that people and businesses thrive, creating more and better jobs in an inclusive and green economy.”

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact Faye at Space PR at faye@spacepr.co.uk or 0113 259 7685/ 07793 401 579 or Andrea at Space PR at andrea@spacepr.co.uk or 07714 988 989. For GMI Construction contact Andrew Douglas on 01325 363436

Notes To Editors

Integra 61

Integra 61, being delivered by Citrus Durham, is the largest logistics and manufacturing opportunity in the North East in a generation, with outline planning consent in place for over 3m sq ft of employment space at J61 of the A1(M). The total estimated investment value on completion is circa £400m and the 205 acre site has the potential to create over 3,000 new jobs and inject over £2bn to the regional economy over 10 years. The pioneering development comprises a highly sustainable mix of uses incorporating: 3m sq ft of industrial and logistics accommodation, circa 260 new homes and 80,000 sq ft of prime roadside uses including, drive-thru’s, hotel, family pub/restaurant, nursery, car showrooms, self storage and trade counter/retail uses at the gateway to the site.

Citrus Group

Citrus Durham is part of the Citrus Group, a dynamic and entrepreneurial real estate investment and development company with diverse interests, from commercial and residential development to real estate investment with value-add opportunities and strategic property asset management. The Group has a longstanding and credible track record of building sustainable, long-term business relationships with its private and public sector partners and considers these among its most important assets. By building on this strong foundation, it has developed significant interests across various sectors.

GMI Construction Group

GMI Construction Group PLC is an established and successful UK contractor and construction services company providing specialist design and build capabilities spanning multiple sectors.

Founded in 1986, the independent company has a proven track record for the delivery of high quality, energy efficient, often complicated projects from inception to completion with a strong focus on innovation and technology.

It operates across multiple sectors and markets including commercial offices, mixed-use buildings, residential, retail, education, distribution and logistics, manufacturing, hotels, and leisure.

Driven by strong core values, its focus is on exceeding customers to leave a positive legacy in the communities we serve, protecting the environment for the future generation and promoting a safe and inclusive workplace for our colleagues.