YORK is enjoying ‘huge levels’ of demand for industrial units, which is fuelling a call for the approval of an expansion of an out-of-town business park.

The Tonsley York Trust seeks to build two units for light industry, general industry or storage and distribution to the west of its recently completed phase one of its MX Park at Monks Cross Drive, Huntington.

The two buildings on the vacant 0.36ha site is west of the existing site, which includes 11 industrial units, including a Go Store self-storage building and a Screwfix depot.

Some 20 jobs are promised in the buildings, totalling 1208m2, on the site that would form phase 2 of the scheme and presently contains ‘dense bramble dominated scrub, plus a couple of ponds.

The planning application to City of York Council says the surrounding area is commercial in character with a 3-storey Travelodge to its west and a McDonalds also to its west.

Farmland to the north is allocated for housing and the site itself was allocated for employment use early this century, with plans for offices approved there are nearby in 2007. The offices were not built, with the McDonalds, Travelodge and a pub/restaurant being built instead.

Full planning permission is sought for a 1208ms of employment space overall, with the larger 790m2 unit at the northern end of the site and the smaller 418m2 site at the southern end. Their appearance and material finish would be similar to those completed in phase 1.

The planning application says there remains “Strong demand for employment floorspace in York.”

Seven of the 11 units in phase 1 were on offer around the time of practical completion. The agents also confirm existing warehouse and commercial space at Northminster and York Business Parks is fully let and vacancy rates in other commercial areas are extremely low.

Dan Hodge of Leeds property company Ryden, who has been acting with York-based property consultants Flanagan James on phase one confirmed the interest, saying further units are expected to be let in the near future.

He added: “Over the last 5 years, we have seen huge levels of demand for the sector resulting in very little available accommodation currently. For example, of the 600,000 sq ft of units that are present at Clifton Moor, there is currently only circa 2,000 sq ft of existing warehouse accommodation. Furthermore, York Business Park is currently fully let, as is the likes of Northminster Business Park.

“What is interesting (and encouraging developers to bring forward new schemes) is that we are not seeing levels of demand fall away at all. As we see a wide range of operators/occupiers requiring warehouse accommodation, it is unlikely that this will change whatever the economic factors affect the country. Therefore, any further development, particularly those units with private yards would be welcomed in the York region.”