Hat-trick for Barberry as developer seals another land deal

Published by

Nicky Godding

Tournament Fields Business Park

Stourbridge-based commercial property developer and investor Barberry has acquired a West Midlands warehouse development site – the third completed since the start of the year.

Barberry has acquired the last remaining plot at Tournament Fields Business Park in Warwick. The company plans to deliver a 80,000 sq ft Grade A distribution and logistics unit on the site after buying the land for an undisclosed sum.

Barberry – one of the UK’s leading developers of mid-box industrial units – simultaneously exchanged and completed the purchase within 10 working days of instructing solicitors, according to development director Jon Robinson.

“Our acquisition of an excellent site at Tournament Fields Business Park is the latest significant investment by Barberry, and the third to be completed in the first three months of 2024. The size and speed of the deal once again demonstrates our strong financial position, ability to transact quickly and our continued commitment to the mid-box industrial/logistics sector within the region.

“The development of a best-in-class c:80,000 sq ft unit will help to address the ongoing shortage of new, high quality industrial accommodation in the West Midlands. New buildings such as this help to create the quality accommodation that local, regional and national businesses need in order to expand their operations within the Midlands, delivering new jobs and attracting investment,” said Jon.

This highly visible and accessible site has the perfect combination of immediate motorway access of Junction 15 of the M40, providing a logistically superb location coupled with the prominence suitable for a HQ-style operator or customer facing business. The building will focus on sustainability and will be built to exceptional ESG standards, targeting EPC A and BREEAM Excellent accreditation including electric vehicle charging points, solar panels, green initiatives, and staff welfare.

Barberry can offer freehold or leasehold options to occupiers. The company anticipates significant interest from a market starved of high quality, mid-box warehouse and production facilities on the M40 and M42 corridors. It is a unique opportunity to join a number of international businesses who have made Tournament Fields their home, including Scholastic Publications, Gallagher Security, Semcon, Sodick and most recently, Hansgrohe, who took occupation of their 36,000 sq ft facility in the spring of 2023.

The site was bought for an undisclosed sum from Sackville Developments (Warwick) Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd.

Marc Freeman, development director at Clowes Developments said: “We have a long-standing relationship with Barberry so it’s good to know the last remaining plot at Tournament Fields is in safe hands. The sale brings to a close our development at the business park which has been within our portfolio for almost 30 years. The sale of this plot enables the group to focus on our extensive development programme across the UK.”

Wareing & Company and Savills have been retained by Barberry to act as leasing agents.

Barberry has started 2024 with plans to develop two other high quality warehouse units in the West Midlands, demonstrating its commitment to investment in the region.

Earlier this month Barberry unveiled plans for a £14 million warehouse development after acquiring a high-quality site in an off-market deal for an undisclosed sum. It plans to deliver a 70,000 sq ft Grade A distribution and logistics unit on the site at Quinton Business Park, Ridgeway, Birmingham.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.