Harworth Group plc has announced that it has secured planning approval from Leeds City Council for the development of 800,000 sq ft of industrial & logistics space at its Skelton Grange site in Leeds.

The 50-acre site was acquired by Harworth in 2014 and is adjacent to Junction 45 of the M1 and to the south-east of Leeds city centre.

Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive of Harworth, said: “Skelton Grange demonstrates Harworth’s unique skillset in identifying and acquiring complex brownfield sites, devising a masterplan that realises their potential and then progressing this through the planning system to unlock value. This development will meet the growing demand for high-specification and well-connected Grade A industrial space across West Yorkshire, in turn supporting jobs and investment for the region. It will also add to Harworth’s already extensive consented pipeline, which has a gross development value of around £2.4bn.”

The approved plans would see the development of up to 800,000 sq ft of industrial & logistics space across up to five units, ranging in size from 126,000 sq ft to 202,000 sq ft.

Alongside infrastructure upgrades, the plans include a segregated cycle and pedestrian path that is proposed to connect to the Trans Pennine Trail and Sustrans Route 67, as well as tree and hedge planting and other ecological enhancements. 

In April 2020, Harworth sold 19.5 acres of land at the site to Enfinium for the development of an Energy from Waste facility, which is currently under construction. In August 2021, further plans were approved for the development of a 99-megawatt battery storage facility on a 5.4-acre parcel on the site.