Once famous for showering the surrounding countryside with its “red rain”, Consett Steel Works dominated the landscape with the glow from its furnaces visible for more than 20 miles. Now a multi-million pound scheme has transformed the site into one of the North-East’s most successful business developments.
Tony Cragg’s Terris Novalis sculptures symbolise Consett’s industrial heritage
The final £3m phase of the eco-friendly business park has been completed on time and to budget and handed over to its new managers, Business Durham. In contrast to its heritage, every office suite on the 2.2 acre site was designed to be built using green construction techniques and will incorporate energy saving technology and super-fast internet connections.
Built by Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd and jointly financed by Durham County Council and the European Regional Development Fund the latest building will house up to 35 growing and established businesses. Office space ranges from 15 to 33 sq metres with more than half of the 46 units already taken or reserved.
“Consett Business Park has an established community with companies directly impacting the local economy,” said Dr Simon Goon managing director of Business Durham. “The latest and final building will offer businesses a flexible mix of office accommodation within a dynamic environment.
“Demand for space in this final phase of the development shows that County Durham is the chosen location for businesses looking to invest or set up in the region,” he added.
Business Durham is the county council’s development company and already manages a range of properties from modern office accommodation to industrial premises. It also oversees NETPark, the region’s only dedicated science and technology park.
With the last of the buildings and chimneys demolished, regeneration of the steel works site started in the late 1990s. One of the earliest Consett Business Park occupants was Industrial Workwear.
“We have no regrets about moving here and haven’t looked back,” said one of its directors Andrew Forster. “We considered several other locations, including the Team Valley Trading Estate at Gateshead, but settled on Consett. Over the past 13 years we have grown as a business and moved four times within the park, each time to larger premises.”
The development has also attracted national praise. “This is an excellent on-going project creating high quality, hi-tech workspaces which are a catalyst for employment, wealth creation and economic success,” Communities Minister Baroness Hanham said on a recent visit.
“By addressing their needs Business Durham is ensuring that new and existing companies aren’t forced to leave the area. This can only be a good thing for Consett and the local economy.”
Steel dominated the Consett economy for 140 years and when British Steel closed the last plant in 1980 the social costs were high. Unemployment rose within a year to 36 per cent, three times the national average, and combined with knock-on business failures to make the town one of the industrial black spots of Europe.
