The owner of Durham Green Business Park has appointed Jones Lang LaSalle as joint leasing agents and strategic advisers on the 570 acre regeneration project near Bowburn, County Durham.

The project is set to provide over 5,000 jobs in the North East.

The site, located at Junction 61 of the A1(M), opposite Durham Services, is owned by Tyneside business man, David Martin Abrahams.

It has been identified in the Unitary Development Plan for a future rail freight terminal and has been allocated as employment land with 76 acres already having existing outlined planning consent for one million sq ft of office, industrial and distribution uses.

Mr Abrahams said: "Jones Lang LaSalle has been selected largely because of their recognised position in the regional, national and international property market. Their appointment complements the existing letting team, of Naylors and WSB Property Consultants, and will play an important role in ensuring Durham Green becomes a sustainable, attractive and high quality business environment."

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David Robinson, associate director in Jones Lang LaSalle’s National Industrial & Logistics team, added: "Durham Green is one of the largest development opportunities in the UK and only one of a handful that has the genuine potential for an on site rail freight terminal. This would link directly into the East Coast Main Line. Jones Lang LaSalle will help to bring this unique site forward and we are excited by the prospect of working with the team to progress this flagship scheme."

Mr Robinson continued: "With economic conditions improving, the north east commercial property market is showing increasing signs of activity with several large transactions on similar strategic sites, closing in recent months. Durham Green Business Park offers either land sales or turnkey design and builds solutions to occupiers, on either freehold or leasehold terms, and we are already speaking to several occupiers and interested parties."

Durham Green Business Park maintains the most advantageous position due to its rail port which can meet the Agility Trains requirements for the rolling stock for the East Cost mainline. The site borders the main London to Edinburgh railway line and is the only location in the North East that has direct access both onto the national rail network (East Coast Mainline) and national road network (Junction 61 A1M). The road link into the site has been approved by the Highways Agency.

The business park has been made even more strategically important by the recently opened East West connection at Junction 61 of the A1M which links the A1 towards A19. The Durham Motorway Services entrance borders the site to the east. The County Council has already put a new road in, linking the park to the former East Durham coalfield.

(GK/KMcA)