Ripon business park to double in size, creating 80 jobs

Up to 80 new jobs could be created in Ripon by the extension of an existing business park.
Canalside Developments director Jonathan Lupton (right) points out the location of Phase 2 of Ripon Business Park to Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith.Canalside Developments director Jonathan Lupton (right) points out the location of Phase 2 of Ripon Business Park to Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith.
Canalside Developments director Jonathan Lupton (right) points out the location of Phase 2 of Ripon Business Park to Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith.

Canalside Developments, which owns Ripon Business Park, on the B6265 Boroughbridge Road, is seeking planning permission to develop a further 25,000 sq ft for light industrial and warehousing use.

The land is currently used by Econ Engineering to store its 900-strong gritter hire fleet, which from next year will move to a new, dedicated site at Sowerby, near Thirsk.

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Canalside Developments launched Ripon Business Park in 2004, and it is now home to a number of long-established businesses in 19 units, including Bill Plant School of Motoring and NFU Mutual.

Wholesale supplier Yesss Electrical and hardware and tools specialist Screwfix have both been based on the site since they each took possession of a 2,500 sq ft unit in 2013.

Work on Phase 2 is due to commence this summer, and once complete will see the business park’s footprint increased by 50 per cent.

Jonathan Lupton, director of Canalside Developments, said: “There is a shortage of good quality, small-scale industrial units in the district, and this is what we will be helping to address with Phase 2 of Canalside Business Park.

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“When our MP, Julian Smith, recently visited Econ, I was delighted to tell him about our plans for increasing the business park, and he was particularly interested in hearing it could generate up to 80 jobs.

“The current site has 19 units, which house a variety of different businesses, and when completed, another 16 will be added, taking the total number to 35. I’m pleased to say there has already been a considerable amount of interest in the scheme.”

Jonathan Lupton is also director of operations at Econ Engineering, which will be vacating the land earmarked for the extension.

Canalside invested £1.25m in a previous expansion of the site in 2014, when new tenants employed between 35 and 45 staff in new light industrial units.

Ripon Business Park Phase 2 is being marketed by Adam Crawfurd Porter of FSS Feathers Smailes and Scales.

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