LONG-AWAITED work to build a new business park in Pickering, North Yorkshire is expected to begin this summer.

Planning permission has been granted for 184,000sqft of new industrial space called Pickering Park.

The development will form phase three of the Thornton Road Business Park, with access off Enterprise Way.

York-based Lindum Group will develop the site following support from York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (Y&NY LEP) and Ryedale District Council.

The scheme is being brought forward after Lindum was awarded £880,000 from the Government’s Getting Building Fund via the LEP. The investment has supported site preparation and infrastructure to enable development.

Lindum development manager Andy Gardner said:“This scheme would not be happening without support from the Council and the Y&NY LEP and I would like to applaud their commitment to pushing ahead with this development.”

The Thornton Road Business Park is already home to a range of companies and the expansion will provide much needed employment land for northern Ryedale.

Ryedale District Council first started investigating the land for development in 2006 but there were complexities of contamination and costs.

Council Chair Cllr Janet Frank said she was delighted that work was now going to progress.

Cllr Janet Frank, Chair of Ryedale District Council, said: "There has been a need for more employment land in northern Ryedale for many years - so I’m delighted that work is now going to progress. Officers have worked closely with Lindum and with colleagues at the Y&NY LEP to help to secure this investment, which will benefit the area for many years to come.”

On 4 August 2020, the government confirmed the list of over 300 successful projects, which will receive a share of £900m from the Getting Building Fund.

The money was available for investment in local, shovel-ready infrastructure projects to stimulate jobs and support economic recovery across the country.

In total, the York & North Yorkshire LEP was allocated £15.4m from the GBF for a wide-ranging package of projects that will deliver a much-needed, post-covid boost to the local economy.

David Dickson, Chair of the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership Infrastructure & Joint Assets Board, said: "This is an important scheme which will drive economic growth in Ryedale and North Yorkshire.

“There has been a great deal of work by all involved to get to this landmark stage and we look forward to seeing the continued progress of the development.”