Former BAE Fighter Jet Factory Seeks New Tenant
Property consultants Knight Frank have been appointed to find a tenant for the former BAE Systems fighter jet manufacturing facility at Brough, East Yorkshire. The 230,000 sq ft of recently vacated premises at Humber Enterprise Park, on the outskirts of Hull, is now being marketed by Knight Frank on behalf of site owners Citivale and Westcore.
The practice is collaborating with Hull-based PHH Commercial at the 79-acre site on the banks of the Humber. The available accommodation includes a 167,486 sq ft, single-storey steel-framed warehouse and industrial building that previously housed component manufacturing for the Hawk jet, the aircraft flown by the Red Arrows. It has recently been used as a storage and logistics centre, with several modest extensions providing additional offices and staff amenities.
Second Unit and Site History
Also available is a 63,026 sq ft unit offering extra warehouse and production capacity, with a protected yard and parking provision. BAE Systems retains an operation at the Brough site, but manufacturing ceased in 2020, ending over a century of aircraft construction. The plant was used to modernise RAF Phantom jets in the 1970s and 80s, followed by Harrier jump jets and then Hawks.
Humber Enterprise Park was established in 2014, and the two units have recently undergone a multimillion-pound renovation. Other tenants at the park include Cablescan, Dearing Plastics, Morson Praxis, Europa Crown, Purex, and Cranswick PLC.
Agent and Owner Comments
Iain McPhail, partner in Knight Frank's industrial property team, said: "This is a significant appointment for us, and we are delighted to be marketing two high-quality warehouse and manufacturing buildings at one of the region's most successful employment parks. We have two units available on the estate, one of 167,486 sqft which has just been refurbished and the other of 63,026 sqft, whereby the refurbishment program is due to commence imminently. The combination of the size and spec of these units, the reputation of the Humber Enterprise Park and its location, close to the M62, M18 and the Humber ports, makes them extremely attractive propositions for occupiers."
Paul Brustad, Citivale's asset manager at Humber Enterprise Park, added: "With Knight Frank's coverage in the industrial and logistics sector throughout Yorkshire, as well as their national presence, we are pleased to appoint them as letting agents on our Humber Enterprise Park scheme. With these two units currently available, the regional market knowledge and expertise of Knight Frank will be welcomed to complement that of our other joint letting agents PPH Commercial."
