BUILDING work on new £9 million business units at Thorp Arch Estate, near Wetherby - the biggest new development in the estate's 60-year history - will start next month.

Work begins at the 385-acre business and retail estate in the "golden triangle" between Leeds, York and Harrogate, after Leeds City Council planners backed plans for 52 new units.

The scheme, by business park development specialists, Arlington Development Management, for the estate owners, Hanover Property Unit Trust, will ease the shortage of business units on the estate, near the A1.

Preparation work is in hand for the first phases of two separate schemes to build small business units and larger workshops and warehouses.

The two first phases will see 21 new small business units, totalling 31,024 sq ft, and five larger warehouse and workshop units, totalling 44,284 sq ft.

The small units will be for lease and the larger workshops for lease or purchase.

Both first phases will be ready by October 2004 and will offer businesses the choice of a range of units from 1, 150 sq ft, for start-ups or micro businesses, to 12,000 sq ft for larger enterprises.

Paul Crabtree, an associate at international property consultants, King Sturge, Leeds, is seeking occupiers and purchasers for the new units.

He said: "These will be new, modern, high-specification units which will meet pent-up demand on the estate and in the surrounding conurbations for facilities of this type and we are looking forward to handling inquiries."

Updated: 11:58 Tuesday, February 24, 2004