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16 January 2012 10:34
BUSINESS
Rising optimism in Sleaford and North Kesteven
A rising number of businesses are choosing to locate to business parks in Sleaford and other sites in North Kesteven.
Hodgson Elkington LLP, the chartered surveyors who manage six business centres on behalf of North Kesteven District Council, report 100% occupancy at half of the sites in the district and high occupancy of the other three - with new businesses citing favourable costs, good transport links and quality of life as important reasons for coming. This follows the completion of two more lettings at Billinghay Business Park and the new Sleaford Business Centre and comes at a time when North Kesteven is revealed in a Halifax bank survey to have the 36th best quality of life of all 405 council areas in the UK.
At Billinghay, a 1,260 sq ft unit comprising warehouse and office has been let to Advantage First Aid Limited, a new start-up business providing on-line sales of first aid equipment. Director Sarah Hacker says, “The helpful incentives, flexible rental terms and security on site have been important factors to us as I am sure they are they are to other small businesses in their initial stages of development." Meanwhile Nitin Noble of Bob Mills (UK) Limited, which has taken a unit and relocated its business to the Sleaford Business Centre, says, “The lower fixed costs, location with good access to Manchester, London and other parts of the country and the better quality of schools were primary reasons for choosing to locate here."
Marie Gutteridge of Hodgson Elkington who has handled the lettings says, “The recent lettings, occupancy levels and general interest in workshops, offices and craft units are a reflection of a genuine desire to reside in the district and Lincolnshire at a time when other areas of the country are struggling. The benefits of a rural location, with improved transport links provides new start and existing companies with an environment which is conducive to a healthy and thriving business."
North Kesteven District Council Leader Cllr Marion Brighton OBE said the confidence shown by start-up, and incoming businesses in the District and the Council’s provision for them, underlined the Council’s priority in supporting a vibrant economy locally. She says, “There are many reasons why North Kesteven is a first-choice as a place to do business which are underlined by the recent survey highlighting its quality of life.
“It is reassuring that high level of occupancy at Sleaford station in particular exceeds all aspirations so soon and that all of our sites are proving to be so popular, which underlines our fresh investment in the creation of fourteen new workspaces at Bracebridge Heath to offer a further 15,000 square feet of flexible and adaptable accommodation to suit fledgling enterprise."
Marie Gutteridge from Hodgson Elkington is pictured handing over the keys to Russell Trimble and Nitin Noble at the Sleaford Business Centre.
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