A SCRAMBLE to buy offices and industrial units at Ouse Acres - the former R & R Donnelly printworks off Boroughbridge Road, York, - is reaching its climax this week.

It is estimated the project could generate a total of more than 80 jobs.

The £2.5 million scheme was completed only last month by the Helmsley Group of Pocklington, yet lawyers are already crossing the T's on three of the four offices known as Isis.

Richard Flanagan, of York property consultancy Lawrence Hannah & Skelton, said while the deals were still in legal process he could not give details, but contracts for the letting of one of the Isis offices to a York construction company for its headquarters was imminent; another had been sold to a York company; and the third was being bought by a landscape design firm.

The remaining Isis office had already attracted the interest of both private investors and larger businesses looking for local premises.

Meanwhile, the 12 adjacent Pyramid industrial units on the Ouse Acres have been mostly sold or let off plan.

New occupants include Sanders Landscape Services, which has moved from City of York Council's Parkside commercial centre in Terry Avenue having bought larger premises outright for the firm's four full-time staff; Martin Johnson, stained glass window specialist, whose six staff have moved from Compton Street into a larger work area.

Abracs, which provides abrasives for the construction industry, has bought one of the units as has Reed Electrical Supplies, of Hospital Fields Road, York, which has acquired premises there as an investment, perhaps initially using it as warehousing.

A builder/developer has taken another Pyramid unit for storage purposes.

Three of the units have been bought by private investors who intend to let the premises.

Ian McAndrew, Helmsley's associate director, said: "The popularity of Ouse Acres demonstrates the strong demand for quality commercial property in York among both owner-managed businesses and pension funds. With interest rates as they are, it is an excellent time to invest in your own premises."

Updated: 10:51 Tuesday, January 10, 2006