31 August 2006

Hundreds of jobs in pipeline as flagship South Wales business park gets green light to expand

Five hundred jobs are expected to be created in Newport, South Wales following the approval of plans for three major new developments on the prestigious £100m Celtic Springs Business Park at Junction 28 of the M4 motorway.

Extensive new employment will be generated by a showpiece 35,000 sq ft speculative office complex attracting 350 jobs, along with a £11m, five-star 120-bed Ramada Plaza hotel and a 100-place children’s day nursery.

Construction of all three is scheduled to start immediately, after the granting of planning permission by Newport City Council. Completion is due by the end of 2007.

This major expansion of the high profile business park has been brought forward to Celtic Springs by owners AWG and Broadhall.

The new jobs will add further to the1,500 posts already being created in the M4 - Junction 28, area by the Prison Service, Wales & West Utilities and the Midas Group Ltd, and by defence business, EADS, and Irish conglomerate, the Quinn Group. 

AWG and Broadhall say the new hotel, which will compete with the best in South Wales, will include a 150-delegate conference centre, banqueting room, health club with fitness room, swimming pool, sauna, health and beauty spa, restaurant and café.

The day nursery is designed to provide a high quality service for parents working in the area. The speculative office development is expected to attract a major inward investor or a re-locating business to the 45-acre park, which is strategically located at Junction 28 of the M4 and close to the line of the planned M4 relief road.

Speaking on behalf of AWG and Broadhall, Iain Logue, Operations Director of AWG Property, said: “Getting the green light for three projects in one go is fantastic news. We are really motoring at Celtic Springs and can’t wait to get started on these new projects.

"Modern business parks need to provide as many on-site facilities as possible. Anyone moving into this park will have a choice of two hotels on site, good quality food outlets, leisure and health facilities, a crèche and an excellent car parking ratio, all located immediately off the M4 motorway.”

He added: “The speculative 35,000 sq ft building is already creating strong interest in the market. The hotel and day nursery will add exciting new dimensions that will help set Celtic Springs apart.”

Councillor Bob Bright, leader of Newport City Council welcomed the go-ahead for the next phase of the park. “I have no hesitation in recommending Celtic Springs to office occupiers. Major employers have already set up national administration centres here, which is testament to its great M4 location, access to a large and skilled labour market and the quality of the physical infrastructure provided by the developers.”

Robert Carew-Chaston, Chairman of joint mjarketing agents Hutchings & Thomas, said: “The three developments, in particular the five star hotel, are a real boost for Celtic Springs Business Park which is creating quite a buzz along the M4 corridor with its mixture of superb communication links, environment and on park facilities.”

Matthew Phillips, Managing Partner of Knight Frank’s Cardiff office said: “There is a real shortage of office space in the South East Wales market and the fact that AWG and Broadhall are willing to speculatively commit to building 35,000 sq ft is testament to their commitment to the business park and Newport itself. The provision of the additional facilities on site will add to the benefit of locating on the park.”