NEWS

Two new tenants sign up for Dunsbury Park


24 January 2024

New EV service centre and musical instrument manufacturing firm to join the business park developed by Portsmouth City Council

Two new tenants have signed leases at newly developed warehouses at Dunsbury Park, Havant. Having recently completed the building of three new industrial units at the park, Portsmouth City Council has signed tenancies on two of the units.


Automotive firm Inchcape has taken 19,017 sq ft at Unit 502 as it creates a dedicated electric vehicle servicing centre, meanwhile Percussion Play, an outdoor musical instrument manufacturer is expanding its business by taking 26,430 sq ft at Unit 501. Colliers and LSH are joint agents on the scheme.


Dunsbury Park is a 100-acre business park located within the Solent Freeport zone. Portsmouth City Council has developed the park to attract businesses looking for high quality state of the art industrial and manufacturing space. The site already boasts the UK HQ of clothing brand FatFace, as well as other occupiers including DPD, Breeze Motor Group and bio-medical manufacturer Bio-Pure. Due to the business park’s freeport status, qualifying businesses benefit from a range of tax and rates relief incentives.


Leader of Portsmouth City Council with responsibility for economic development, Councillor Steve Pitt, said: “We're excited to welcome two new tenants to Dunsbury Park where we have an eclectic mix of top rated occupiers, providing valuable employment opportunities in the region and supporting the local economy.

 

“There’s now only one existing unit remaining, which is built to a best-in-class specification, with freeport benefits available to qualifying businesses. I don’t envisage the unit being available for long."

Simon Priest from Inchcape added: “Our EV service centre at Dunsbury Park will really complement our dealership’s offering for customers. The quality of the building as well as being in an easily accessible location is exactly the type of experience we want for our customers.”


“While we were looking to expand our business,” said Jody Ashfield from Percussion Play, “it’s the quality of the location and local amenities which complement our brand that also attracted us to the site. The emphasis on providing quality outdoor space and a business park environment make Dunsbury Park an attractive place to grow within.”


Dunsbury Park has one remaining warehouse available. Unit 500 is developed to BREEAM Excellent standard offering 33,205 sq ft of space, 12m haunch height, a 32m deep yard, four level access loading doors and 41 car parking spaces. It also includes 3,554 sq ft of office space and has an EPC Rating of A.


There are also opportunities available for businesses looking to secure a purpose-built warehouse development of between 40,000-150,000 sq ft within the park.


James Haestier from Colliers’ Industrial team said: “One of the things that prospective tenants comment on is the quality of the developments at Dunsbury Park. Not only is it a great location for access across Portsmouth and the surrounding area, but the units have been developed to a Grade A+ specification. There are not many opportunities like this in the area and with the financial incentives available I am not surprised that two units have already been let.”

Elise Evans, director in LSH’s Industrial team commented: “Having been involved in the site for many years and witnessed such an impressive transformation where Dunsbury Park provides a working environment that promotes and encourages health and welling, supporting occupiers on delivering ESG to its employees and customers, we are delighted Inchcape and Percussion Play chose Dunsbury Park and look forward to welcoming a new tenant for Unit 500.”

The Leader of Havant Borough Council, Councillor Alex Rennie, added: "The arrival of two new businesses at Dunsbury Park is fantastic news for the borough and its residents. As well as having a significant impact on enhancing local employment skills, it will provide a major boost in attracting inward investment."

7 DECEMBER 2022

New Solent Freeport units out of the ground at Dunsbury Park


Dunsbury Park

Units 500, 501 & 502

Three new state-of-the-art industrial and manufacturing units are out of the ground at Portsmouth City Council-owned Dunsbury Park with frames up, cladding and fit out underway. Totalling 77,000 sq ft across the three units, the space is on track for businesses to move in from early next year.


The award-winning Dunsbury Park (next to junction 3 of the A3(M)) is the first shovel-ready tax site in the Solent Freeport. It has seen strong early interest from potential occupiers keen to benefit from the prime southeast location as well as a generous package of tax incentives. Freeport status has been formally approved by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities today (Wednesday 7 December), providing business rates relief for five years, 100 per cent capital allowance on plant and machinery, no stamp duty tax on leases and relief from employers National Insurance for three years.



In close proximity to Portsmouth International Port, Dunsbury Park can offer the complete logistics package for businesses looking to import or export international and European cargo. Certain businesses will also be able to benefit from the advantages of the port’s customs site, which can provide tariff-free movement of goods.


The three new units will target the highest environmental standards with a BREEAM Excellent rating – only achieved on around 10 per cent of new development in the UK. Sustainable energy use is at the forefront of design across the campus and the new units will be fitted with PV panels and EV charging points.

Councillor Steve Pitt, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development at Portsmouth City Council, said:


“Dunsbury Park is a thriving and growing site, unlocking unique opportunities for businesses as part of the Solent Freeport cluster working alongside our customs site at Portsmouth International Port. It creates thousands of new jobs and training opportunities and generates millions of pounds of income for council services.


We look forward to welcoming more innovative businesses who are looking to position themselves within a Freeport area.”

James Haestier, director in Colliers’ Industrial and Logistics team who is letting the units alongside LSH commented:

“It’s great to see new stock coming into a market where there is shortage in supply. We’re confident that as these new units take shape, many occupiers will be seeking secure, adaptable, and high-quality industrial and manufacturing space, with freeport tax incentives in this prime south coast location. These Grade A units are the first facilities of their kind to be built within the Solent Freeport cluster, so future occupiers will benefit from a generous government package of financial incentives as well as high environmental standards.”

The 100-acre business park is already home to the global headquarters of outdoor lifestyle clothing brand Fat Face, international manufacturer of biopharmaceuticals BioPure, logistics giant DPD and Volkswagen specialists Breeze Motor Group.


Units 500, 501 and 502 will be ready for occupation at the beginning of 2023.

  • Unit 500 – 32, 507 sq ft (3,020 sq m) total floor space
  • Unit 501 – 26,242 sq ft (2,438 sq m) total floor space
  • Unit 502 – 18,965 sq ft (1,762 sq m) total floor space

Alongside the three new units the site can offer build-to-suit units from 20,000 to 200,000 sq ft.


Watch the timelapse video of unit 500 coming out of the ground.



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