Construction activity to create industrial employment space and new jobs at a former colliery site in Dinnington in Rotherham is flat out.

The old pit site, previously owned by the HCA in conjunction with St Paul’s Developments, has seen all of its 35 acres sold in a series of land sales.

Currently local developer EV Waddington is on site with an initial phase of development at 31 East constructing seven industrial and warehouse units ready for occupation in late 2019, ranging in size from 4,700 – 28,500 sq ft with agreed plans for a further phases. Knight Frank are marketing them to let.

Also on site are Trebor Developments, working in conjunction with its partner Hillwood, on its 78,558 sq ft Atomic project. This is being marketed by Knight Frank, CPP and CBRE, to provide a quality logistics/distribution or manufacturing base.

Trebor is building a single speculative B2/B8 manufacturing or logistics warehouse with ancillary office space at first floor and associated yard, parking, roadways, landscape and amenities on the five-acre site. The unit will be ready for occupation in December 2019.

While Luxembourg-based United Caps, a European leader in the development, production and sale of plastic caps and closures, is investing around €20m in a new 54,000 sq ft production facility in Dinnington.

The company is extending its operations in the UK with a new plant for beverage and dairy closures, with an option to expand to 215,000 sq ft as business growth demands.

The United Caps investment in Rotherham has been backed by a £1.5m direct grant from the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority with funding from the Sheffield City Region Business Investment Fund for the construction and fit out of a production plant creating 40 new jobs.

Rebecca Schofield, partner and head of the Yorkshire Industrial team at Knight Frank, said: “The area in the south of the borough has become a proven business location, already home to companies including Macalloy, Johnston Press and Quartzelec.

“The projects on 31 East are both based around construction of quality, speculative industrial units on the prominent site which is located near Junction 31 of the M1.

“When fully developed the 31 East site will accommodate a mix of over 450,000 sq ft of manufacturing, industrial and warehouse space. The vast majority will be constructed speculatively and represents a huge private sector investment in the area.

“This type of quality industrial accommodation will meet local and regional occupier needs and we are already talking to a number of potential occupiers.”