New 2,500-job Jade Business Park near Dalton Park gets go-ahead

A multi-million pound business park which could create more than 2,500 jobs has won planning permission.
An artist's impression of the Jade Business ParkAn artist's impression of the Jade Business Park
An artist's impression of the Jade Business Park

As a first phase, Durham County Council is funding the construction of seven speculative units (comprising 155,000 sq ft) at Jade Business Park, next to the A19 and Dalton Park, which will create investment opportunities in East Durham.

The project has been made possible thanks to the partnership between Durham County Council and Highbridge Properties, which is developer of the UK’s largest office park, Cobalt, in North Tyneside, employing 14,000 people.

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Following the planning approval, construction is expected to start in August this year and take around nine months.

The 55-acre site in Murton has the potential for up to 750,000 sq ft of space for offices, large scale manufacturing and distribution tenants.

The site will be owned by Durham County Council and managed by Business Durham.

Cllr Alan Napier, deputy leader of Durham County Council said: “This is great news for East Durham and the region. Jade Business Park is one of our key strategic employment sites, bringing thousands of new jobs and the associated economic boost to the county.

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“We have been working on the development for several years and it’s really exciting to see our long held aspiration becoming a reality as part of our wider plans for the regeneration of the east of the county and the A19 corridor.”

Guy Marsden, director at Highbridge Properties, said: “Jade Business Park is a new generation Enterprise Zone which is highly attractive for business, occupiers and investors as it offers tailored solutions and government support packages to meet their individual’s needs.

“All of this, combined with a location that offers fast access to the motorway network, good public transport links and ample parking available on site makes Jade a very compelling place to do business.”

The road leading directly from the site to the A19 has already been completed with £14million of funding from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP) and the Highways Agency.

The park will become a designated Enterprise Zone which will enable tenants moving into the units once complete to apply for Business Rate Relief up to £275,000.