Significant progress is being made on an industrial scheme in County Durham.

The construction of ten industrial units at Station Place in Newton Aycliffe is well underway, with the groundwork complete and the steelwork of the buildings now being erected.

Station Place is part of the wider £90m Merchant Park industrial scheme in Newton Aycliffe – a 65-acre development at Aycliffe Business Park, located off J59 of the A1(M) and home to Hitachi Rail Europe.

The new £4.8 million scheme on Site 2 at Merchant Park is set to provide 50,333 sq ft of new industrial space to support new and expanding businesses in Newton Aycliffe. It will create 130 jobs and is due to be complete in April 2022.

Durham County Council is supporting the development of the industrial units after agreeing to a 35-year-lease at Station Place in September 2019.


The units will be managed by Business Durham, the business support service of the council. The development is being delivered in partnership with Merchant Anglo and Rokeby Developments.

Cllr Rowlandson, Cabinet Member for Resources, Investment and Assets at Durham County Council, said: "It is exciting to see developments at Merchant Park gather momentum. This site is strategically important to economic development within County Durham and the wider North East economy.

"I'm confident that these top-quality industrial units at Station Place will be in high demand from ambitious manufacturing firms looking to expand onto this site, which is in a prime location with excellent transport links. With our team at Business Durham managing the finished units this key development will help to underpin County Durham's manufacturing sector whilst creating wealth and jobs."

Station Place is part of Aycliffe Business Park, which is the largest industrial park in the North East, home to a wide range of well-established businesses and next to Hitachi Rail Europe.

Geoff Hunton, director at Merchant Anglo, said: "We are seeking to address the shortfall of modern fit for purpose units in Newton Aycliffe to support new and growing business in conjunction with our partners Business Durham. We are delighted that the buildings are now emerging out of the ground ready for occupation by early summer next year. Despite all the challenges of the last two years, we are now receiving real enquiries from local businesses and am delighted that we will shortly be able to welcome them to Station Place."