The opening of the new Ramada Encore Hotel at Capitol Park Barnsley, by Junction 37 of the M1, is an important landmark in the development of this pioneering business park.
The hotel, with 117 bedrooms and eight meeting rooms, is situated next to the new Toby Inn at the entrance of Capitol Park.
The hotel has created 30 new jobs, bringing the total of people employed at Capitol Park to 400.
This £60 million business park in Barnsley, which is being developed by leading Yorkshire property developers Sterling Capitol, is now delivering jobs and investment.
The 36-acre park has the potential for 1,200 jobs altogether. It is a classic mixed-use scheme, featuring 450,000 sq ft of quality office and industrial space, plus a new hotel and ancillary facilities, and provision for a 250-space park-and-ride facility.
It is being built in conjunction with the new by-pass for the village of Dodworth, has transformed the area north west of Junction 37 of the M1.
Tony Palmer, a spokesman for leading pub and restaurant Mitchell and Butler, who own Toby Inns, commented: “We are delighted to be on Capitol Park, Barnsley. This is a landmark development in a superb location and we are proud to be part of it.
A new by-pass and the park’s infrastructure have been built, while construction of a speculative first phase of seven high quality hybrid units, ranging from 2,000 sq ft to 8,000 sq ft, is now complete. These units, for sale or rent, have proved extremely popular.
Pit Stop Productions, one of Yorkshire’s leading animation companies whose clients include Pop Idol, have moved into a 3,000 sq ft unit - merging three office/studios in Leeds, Sheffield and Wakefield. Deals have been completed on six of the other seven units.
Robert Bowles of Ardane Properties, who bought a 5,000 sq ft unit, commented: “These are quality units in a quality location. I regard this as an excellent investment.”
At the same time, the Christy Group, the Yorkshire company that made hats for Winston Churchill and now has a £40-million turnover producing children’s party costumes, has taken 11,000 sq ft of brand-new office space at Capitol Park and has moved in.
Meanwhile One Capitol Court is a joint venture between Priority Sites and Sterling Capitol. Offices range from 5,000sq.ft to 30,000sq.ft and Business Link Yorkshire now has its HQ there.
The development has been supported by a £2.65m public sector grant from Objective One and has been carefully planned and brought forward working closely with Renaissance South Yorkshire, Yorkshire Forward and Barnsley Development Agency.
Martin Croxen, the chief executive of Sterling Capitol, commented: “We are delighted to be involved in a development which will assist in the regeneration of one of South Yorkshire’s most important towns.
“As developers we at Sterling Capitol have a proven track record in delivering highly successful business parks in prime motorway locations in Yorkshire. Capitol Park Thorne and Capitol Park Leeds have revitalised their communities and created nearly 3,000 jobs between them. I am delighted that Capitol Park Barnsley is proving equally successful,” said Mr Croxen.
The agents for the development are the Leeds and Sheffield offices of Knight Frank and Chris Rowlands & Co of Barnsley.
Guy Cooke, a partner at Knight Frank’s Leeds office, commented: “Sterling Capitol have established an enviable reputation as developers who deliver. Their development is excellent news for Barnsley and excellent news for South Yorkshire, because it is providing jobs and business opportunities across all sectors”.
“There are imaginative plans to transform Barnsley into a market town for the 21st century and Capitol Park Barnsley will be the perfect complement to this. This superb business park offers Leeds offices at Barnsley prices”, he added.
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