Nick Atkinson is Director at HTA Real Estate, joint agent on Integra 61

HTA Real Estate is delighted to have joined the team at Citrus Group’s Integra 61, working alongside Avison Young as agents on the industrial development opportunities. Over the past 10 years, it has been a phenomenally successful project. It has fired on all cylinders in every sector of a truly mixed-use scheme. Our expertise is industrial, but Integra 61 has also delivered 260 new homes to provide a workforce on the doorstep and vibrancy that is often missing on a large industrial estate. The roadside team at Colliers has delivered Costa, Greggs, KFC, Tesla and Euro Garages to literally refuel yourself and your vehicle!

On the sheds side, no other site in the North East can boast a 2m sq ft Amazon fulfilment centre alongside the largest speculative development in a generation, possibly ever, of 640,000 sq ft. I cannot recall anything else of this scale in my 30 years’ experience up here.

It’s fair to say the world is facing more challenges since the halcyon days of 2022 (in industrial development terms at least), but where there are challenges, we see opportunity. The speculative development pipeline has all but dried up, with just one unit still under construction, in Newton Aycliffe.

The Connect 61 units at Integra 61 are letting up well and unlike other regions, the North East is not suffering from a large ‘overhang’ of new units waiting for tenants. As a result, companies looking for new industrial units will consider the design and build pre-let option, and Integra 61 has a range of options to suit occupiers for any size up to circa 74,000 sq ft.

With planning in place and fully serviced sites ‘oven ready’ for delivery, Integra 61 has the physical infrastructure, amenity, established location and critical mass of a successful mixed use development. We’re very much looking forward to finding the final pieces to help complete the jigsaw for the benefit of Durham, the wider Northeast Region, and of course Citrus Group.