Quick start for industrial park at former Champion factory

The former Champion Spark Plug complex in Upton, Wirral is being successfully reborn as an industrial estate with 40% of the 440,000 sq ft total already let in the few months since its disposal.

The site was acquired for £6.2m in March from Federal Mogul by Hawtin Developments LLP, a joint venture between property groups Hawtin and Centaur.

It was renamed Champions Business Park, and has secured a number of early successes including smaller local companies taking industrial and office units on site.

The latest letting sees Home & Retail secure 125,000 sq ft of warehouse accommodation, which is by far the largest warehouse letting in Merseyside this year.

Home & Retail took a 10-year lease at £2/sq ft with a tenant-only break option at year five for the warehouse, used to distribute household furniture to department stores across the UK.

Anthony O'Keefe, associate director at DTZ, commented: "This letting is a major coup for the estate and the borough as Home & Retail have relocated their warehouse hub from South Manchester to the Wirral.

"There will undoubtedly be additional spin-offs in terms of job creation and supporting business drawn to the site as a result of this deal and it is a ringing endorsement of the quality of product on offer at Champions."

O'Keefe said there was strong interest in the remaining two units, a 90,000 sq ft warehouse at the rear of the site and another 125,000 sq ft unit at the front.

Most of the office space on site, totalling 26,000 sq ft, has also now been let at a quoting rent of around £6.50/sq ft.

Seven acres of surplus land is available for design-and-build pre-lets.

Champions is situated one mile from Junction 2 of the M53. The site is being marketed by joint letting agents DTZ and King Sturge.