Sucham Park fully-let after Green Tech Industries deal

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A battery recycling and re-purposing business which is set to play a vital role in the sustainable circular green economy is opening a new testing site in Warwickshire.

Green Tech Industries Ltd has signed a five year lease on a 3,100 sq ft unit at Sucham Park as a base of operations to disassemble and test battery components.

Sucham Park is a 42,200 sq ft scheme from Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) and the deal with Green Tech Industries means that the nine-unit scheme is now fully let.

CEO Tony Booth founded the business after identifying a gap in the expanding green economy to support businesses with waste and recycling challenges.

Since 2018, he has been investing in the development of processes to strip batteries, repurpose and then recertify the components to sell back into the industry.

Booth, from Coventry, has extensive experience in motorsport and battery technology, including working with Williams Advanced Engineering setting up a battery factory in Coventry.

From left to right, Stuart Buckley (WPDG), Andrew Jones (Wright Hassall), Tony Booth, Mark Booth (Bromwich Hardy) and Councillor Peter Butlin.

He said: “We are unique in our approach that we aren’t simply recycling batteries. We are looking to save parts that could still have more than 10 years of life in them.

“Green technology is one of the fastest growing industries in the UK, but that growth has outpaced the development of a circular economy of the technology.

“While the business already has a base to discharge batteries, our new site at Sucham Park will allow them to be dissembled and tested, before being sent on to be fixed and recertified for a second life.

“Sucham Park is in a strategic location in the middle of the UK and has excellent transport links. It is a secure site and near the automotive supply chain, positioning us well for future growth.”

Green Tech Industries expects to expand its workforce to ten members of staff as it ramps up operations and has agreed a deal for additional office space at Sucham Park to support its growing team.

WPDG has worked with Bromwich Hardy to market the units at Sucham Park and secure tenants. The development is now home to six businesses that occupy units ranging from 1,900 to 15,000 sq ft in size.

Rob Andrews, head of development at WPDG, added: “Green Tech Industries is leading the way with battery repurposing and its work will be crucial as the adoption of battery technology continues to grow.

“At Sucham Park, we set out to provide high-quality small unit space to help innovative businesses grow and thrive in the region. We are proud that a diverse range of businesses are now operating from the site and after only a year since construction work completed all units have now been let, highlighting the clear demand for space of this size and type in Warwickshire.”

Councillor Peter Butlin, Deputy Leader of Warwickshire County Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, added: “Sucham Park has proven to be a much sought after location, supporting the expansion of local businesses and providing employment opportunities for local people.

“I extend a very warm welcome to Green Tech Industries Ltd as the final occupier who will be doing just that as they look to develop their operations. The fruits of the hard work of Warwickshire Property and Development Group, Wright Hassall and Bromwich Hardy are evident and on behalf of the County Council I pass on our thanks at the conclusion of this successful venture.”

Mark Booth, senior surveyor at Bromwich Hardy, said: “We are delighted to have found and agreed a deal with the sixth and final occupier at Sucham Park. The site sets the standards for the future with its impeccable green credentials and will allow all of those occupiers to thrive and grow.”

Andrew Jones, partner at Leamington law firm Wright Hassall, advised on the lease on behalf of WPDG.

He said: “We are delighted to have supported WPDG in getting the estate fully let within almost 12 months of its practical completion.

“It demonstrates that there is significant demand for these types of units in and around Warwickshire, and we are extremely pleased to have helped local SMEs to locate to the site.”

Martin Yardley appointed non-executive director

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A former deputy chief executive at Coventry City Council has been appointed to the board of a growing property and development company in Warwickshire.

Martin Yardley has been appointed as a non-executive director for Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) as the organisation expands its board.

Martin Yardley

WPDG was launched by Warwickshire County Council in 2021 to realise the full potential of the Council’s development sites, commercial buildings and mineral rights across Warwickshire.

Yardley is a former Deputy Chief Executive (Place) at Coventry City Council and was once Chief Executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

A trained town planner, he joined Coventry City Council in 2007. During his 12-year stint at the Council he served as active chief executive, from 2016 to 2017.

Yardley now spearheads the development of the University of Warwick’s Wellesbourne Campus and has created a development strategy for the 466-acre innovation campus in order to maximise its potential for the University and the wider Warwickshire region.

Yardley has also advised the West Midlands Combined Authority on housing and regeneration.

He said: “I’m looking forward to using my decades’ of experience in local authorities and working with organisations across the Midlands to support WPDG in the next stage of its development.

“With the backing of Warwickshire County Council, this is a vehicle with fantastic potential and an exciting project to be involved with.

“WPDG is an organisation bringing significant benefits to Warwickshire, be that through new homes or important space for businesses to grow. The opportunity to join the board presents another chance to work with an organisation that seeks to make meaningful change and drive economic growth in the region.”

Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) has seen the completion of its first commercial scheme with residents moving into its first homes over the last 12 months.

Sucham Park, in Southam, is now fully let and plans have been submitted for a second commercial scheme on Fusiliers Way, between Warwick and Leamington Spa.

The group has a residential pipeline of 2,200 homes which are being delivered directly and through its joint venture, Develop Warwickshire.

John Edwards, Non-Executive Chair at WPDG, said: “I am delighted that Martin is joining the board of WPDG. He is skilled in property development and has a wealth of knowledge of working across Warwickshire and the West Midlands.”

Councillor Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, said: “It’s great to welcome Martin to the WPDG board, he brings a wealth of experience and has great insight into the property and development sector making him a great asset to the board.

“With a number of schemes recently given the green light, 2025 promises to be an exciting year for WPDG as it goes from strength-to-strength supporting the County Council’s ambition to unlock the potential in local sites and make the most of the county’s assets for the benefit of our people and communities.”

Driving progress and delivering value for Warwickshire in 2025

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Stuart Buckley, Managing Director at Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG), reflects on a busy end to last year and how it has positioned the company in a strong position to carry out its ambitious plans in 2025 and beyond.

Last year we were honoured to be named Newcomer of the Year at the Insider Property Awards for our first three years in business.

At times, with the amount we have achieved already, we feel far from being a newcomer.

However, the reality is that we are only three years on since entering the regional property and development landscape.

That perspective is really important to us as an ambitious company which is committed to growing sustainably whilst  delivering value for our shareholder, Warwickshire County Council (WCC).

With a focus on our foundation goal of realising the value and economy activity from Warwickshire County Council assets for the benefit of residents in Warwickshire.

We have achieved a significant amount in the last 12 months and are set to do so again this year, with a lot of groundwork being done across the team in January to ready us for the year ahead.

RESIDENTIAL

As we came into 2025, our residential delivery is in a fantastic position with the Develop Warwickshire joint venture (JV) flourishing and an excellent pipeline of our own direct delivery homes.

One of the key goals we set out on launching the company, alongside Warwickshire County Council, was to deliver new affordable and market-priced homes for people in the county.

We are doing just that. The Develop Warwickshire JV, in partnership with Warwickshire County Council and Vistry Group, is off to an excellent start.

This is exemplified by the delivery at Top Farm in Nuneaton, with the JV now having secured planning approval for more than 500 homes at the site, providing a mix of housing types with 25% of those properties being affordable homes.

At Brookmill Meadows the first residents have moved into their homes, the very first to live in a Develop Warwickshire home.

Having a major JV up and running and delivering new homes in just 2 years is only one side of the story.

This year we will be focused on building up the WPDG-led activity at residential development sites across the region. We will soon start building the first homes at Manor Park, in Nuneaton, with our partner Seddon Housing and have been given the green light for up to 30 new homes in Bulkington. There are also a further two direct delivery sites in the pipeline as we continue to deliver housing in line with local needs.

COMMERCIAL

This time last year we celebrated the completion of our first commercial scheme, Sucham Park, a 42,200 sq ft industrial development in Southam.

In the year since, we have worked with our partners Bromwich Hardy to secure tenants for the units. We are now fully let at Sucham Park, with the final tenants moving in over the course of this month.

With excellent demand for high-quality small unit space in the region plans have now been submitted for our next scheme, which will be located on Fusiliers Way between Warwick and Leamington Spa. If approved this will see the development of 16 units across 43,000 sq ft of commercial space to support SMEs and local businesses.

We are developing a pipeline of sites which can provide high-quality space to give SMEs the space to grow and thrive in Warwickshire.

ASSET MANAGEMENT

While most of our public-facing work is on the development side, another key service we provide for the County is generating growth across its existing commercial portfolio with our dedicated asset management team.

WCC appointed Warwickshire Property Management Ltd (WPM), which is part of WPDG, to manage the lettings on hundreds of Council-owned properties.

Our team has worked tirelessly to establish and improve the relations with tenants and has undertaken over 100 lease and rent review events providing additional income to WCC and long term security to both businesses and community groups.  This includes working with new and existing tenants on the Stratford Greenway, Pooley and Ryton Country Parks together with a range of Farm Business Tenancies.

We will be continuing that good work on asset management activity over the coming year realising added value for the Council.

 

We’re all set for another active and exciting year at WPDG.

It is important that all our activity continues to support the communities that we work in, whether that be through working with communities to provide the right housing mix at our sites for local needs, or ensuring we are supporting growing businesses with the small-unit space they need.

We are in a positive position for growth and will continue to deliver work which brings significant economic and community benefits to Warwickshire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plans submitted for 43,000 sq ft commercial scheme on Fusiliers Way

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Plans have been submitted for a new commercial scheme in Warwickshire which could create up to 85 jobs.

The proposed scheme located on Fusiliers Way, between Warwick and Leamington Spa, would see the development of 16 units across 43,000 sq ft of commercial space to support SMEs and local businesses.

Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) has submitted a full planning application to Warwick District Council for the development.

Fifteen of the business units will range from 1,000 sq ft to 3,500 sq ft, with the plans also set to deliver the footprint for a larger 15,000 sq ft building.

The scheme aims to develop high quality, sustainable and energy efficient units, being built to BREEAM Very Good and EPC A standards.

It seeks to support the growth of SMEs in Warwickshire, providing space for expanding businesses and start-ups in the County.

If approved, it would be the first part of a two-phase scheme planned for the local area by WPDG.

The second phase will seek to deliver a local centre to support the growing neighbourhood and business community in the local area, including a convenience store, children’s day nursery and coffee shop.

WPDG was formed in 2021 by Warwickshire County Council to realise the potential of its development sites, commercial buildings and mineral rights.

The plans for the scheme on Fusiliers Way follow on from the company’s completion of Sucham Park, a 42,200 sq ft industrial scheme in Southam which is now nearing full occupation.

The Fusiliers Way development from WPDG is part of a wider masterplan for transformative change in the area, with plans to create a mixed-use community to support business, create jobs and provide leisure and community services for residents.

Rob Andrews, Head of Development at WPDG, said: “We’re pleased to be bringing forward this scheme which will provide valuable space for SMEs to grow in the region.

“It’s important we can provide high-quality space which fits the needs of businesses. The scheme will allow more high-growth SMEs to lay their foundations for further development in Warwickshire, while retaining the economic value they generate in the County.

“If the plans are approved, we would hope to be in a position to start work in Summer 2025.”

Councillor Peter Butlin, Deputy Leader of Warwickshire County Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, said: “The proposed scheme on Fusiliers Way is an opportunity to widen the capacity for much needed commercial space and at the same time, build a scheme that is sustainable and energy efficient.

“The submission of the planning application for the scheme marks another significant milestone for Warwickshire Property & Development Group and their continued progress supporting the development and growth of Warwickshire businesses.

“Through the work of WPDG the County Council continues to realise its ambition to unlock the potential in local sites and make the most of the county’s assets for the benefit of our people, communities and businesses.”

To find out more about the plans visit www.wpdg.co.uk/fusiliers-way-warwick

Plans approved for 30 new homes in Bulkington

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A new development which will create up to 30 new homes in the heart of Bulkington has been given the green light.

The residential scheme on Trent Road will include a mix of one, two, three and four bedroom homes, including 25% affordable housing to meet local needs.

Outline planning has been approved by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council for the development, which is being brought forward by Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG).

WPDG was established by Warwickshire County Council in 2021 to realise the potential of its development sites, commercial buildings and mineral rights.

This includes the delivery of new affordable and market-priced homes across Warwickshire.

The development is being delivered on Council owned land to the west of Arden Forest Infant School and will be accessed from Trent Road.

Homes at the development will be sustainably built, featuring low-carbon technology, ready for solar panel installation, EV charging points, LED street lighting and sustainable materials.

WPDG will now move to appointing a preferred delivery partner for the scheme in early 2025.

This will be the fourth residential development delivered by WPDG in Nuneaton and North Warwickshire since it formed.

It is delivering more than 1,700 homes across two schemes through joint venture Develop Warwickshire, and has partnered with Seddon Housing Partnerships on another 58-home scheme on the site of Manor Park Secondary School in Nuneaton.

Rob Andrews, Head of Development at Warwickshire Property & Development Group, said: “This development will see us continue to develop communities in Nuneaton, Bedworth and North Warwickshire and deliver housing in line with local needs.

“We will now be moving forward with the appointment of a delivery partner to support the delivery of this important residential development in Bulkington.

“We look forward to working with our selected delivery partner to bring forward detailed plans for the scheme.”

Councillor Peter Butlin, Deputy Leader of Warwickshire County Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, said: “This marks another significant milestone in the continued progress of Warwickshire Property & Development Group.

“Through this work the County Council will continue to realise its ambition to unlock the potential in local sites and make the most of the county’s assets for the benefit of our people and communities.”

 

Green light for 479 homes at Top Farm, Nuneaton

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A joint venture has marked another major milestone with the approval for more than 470 new homes at its flagship development in Nuneaton.

Plans for the next 479 new homes at the 1,700 home Top Farm development in Weddington, Nuneaton, have been given the go-ahead by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council marking another significant milestone for Develop Warwickshire, the joint venture between Vistry, the UK’s leading provider of affordable mixed-tenure homes, Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) and Warwickshire County Council.

120 of these properties will be available as affordable homes through Platform, one of the largest housing associations in the region, with a further 135 designated for the private rental sector and 124 for the open market. The detailed planning consent also gives the green light for development of a park, a BMX track, a habitat pond, four balancing ponds and footpaths linking to other developments.

Work on the first 51 family homes started over the summer and included infrastructure work to create a northern link road tying together the surrounding communities. This will provide access to the 479 properties as well as the new 11-16 secondary school at the site. The school, currently under construction, will support 900 pupils and will be completed by the Department for Education in September 2025.

Top Farm is the largest of the Develop Warwickshire sites with its fully mixed-tenure community planned to include more than 1700 two-, three-, and four-bedroom houses and bungalow homes with a primary and secondary school, a local centre, extensive public open space and multi-functional green infrastructure, and new roads.

Each home is being constructed using modern methods of construction, incorporating features such as air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points. Additionally, the development will include energy-efficient design elements, sustainable urban drainage systems and beautifully landscaped green open space to promote biodiversity.

Phil McHugh, Vistry Group’s Managing Director for North West Midlands, said: “We are excited to get planning approval for the next phase of much-needed homes at Top Farm. Getting the green light to build a further 479 family homes marks another milestone in our commitment to delivering over 2,000 high-quality, affordable homes that enhance communities and meet the diverse housing needs in Warwickshire.”

Stuart Buckley, Managing Director of WPDG, said: “Develop Warwickshire continues to make impressive progress and the approval of the next 479 sustainable homes at Top Farm marks a pivotal step in the joint venture’s ambitious plans. This latest announcement sees the partnership continue its work to create a thriving new community in Nuneaton and deliver vital homes for Warwickshire.”

Councillor Peter Butlin, Deputy Leader of Warwickshire County Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, said: “This marks another significant milestone for the Top Farm development and the Develop Warwickshire partnership. Through Develop Warwickshire we will create sustainable, high-quality, and affordable new homes, supporting our vision of building healthy and safe communities in which people feel proud to live.”

Develop Warwickshire has committed £2.5 billion to create much-needed new homes and job opportunities for local residents. The partnership’s dedication to sustainable development aligns with local authority criteria and aims to enhance the quality of life for Warwickshire residents.

Transforming a former school into a thriving new community

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Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) and its partner Seddon Construction Limited are preparing to start work on the redevelopment of the site of Manor Park Secondary School.

Following enabling works, including demolition of existing buildings and remediation of the site, work is set to begin on 53 new homes on the site in 2025.

Tony Bunney, Senior Development Manager, has been working on the scheme since joining the company in September 2023.

In this latest blog he talks about bringing forward the Manor Park scheme, planning permission and securing the right partner to deliver the development

Tony Bunney

The Manor Park development in Nuneaton is a milestone scheme for Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG).

It will be the first residential scheme that we have delivered outside of the Develop Warwickshire joint venture – which is already successfully delivering more than 1,700 homes at two other sites in Warwickshire.

The redevelopment of the site has a history which dates back to before WPDG was formed – Warwickshire County Council (WCC) having secured a resolution to grant planning consent in October 2019.

This original consent included for the delivery of an associated Extra Care scheme, which is still planned as part of phase two of the development by WCC. In order to progress with the delivery of the new homes within phase one, our consultants submitted a Section 73 application to vary the planning conditions.

This was granted in May 2024 and it has been full steam ahead over the last seven months.

I have over 30 years of development experience, with a focus primarily on housebuilding and very rarely during that time, have I come across a building occupied by guardians.

For those who aren’t aware, property guardians are people who are granted flexible living in a building and look after it, whilst it is unoccupied. The lead guardian at Manor Park was brilliant to deal with and bent over backwards to be as helpful as he could, having lived on the site for nearly ten years.

We pursued a robust procurement process to secure a partner with which to deliver the scheme.

WPDG is a modest sized entity and we were looking for a partner who understood what we were trying to achieve and the process of market sale housing delivery – for example the expertise in going to market and ensuring the house types respond to local market demand.

Following the tender process, Seddon emerged as our selected partner – they are an organisation that shares our values, understand the need for speed of delivery, without compromising on quality and is backed with long established housebuilding knowledge and contracting capabilities.

We are now targeting a start for construction in 2025, with the development set to be a mix of primarily two, three and four bedroom properties.

We’re looking to create homes that are in keeping with the immediate vicinity and exceed building regulations standards, in terms of energy efficiency.

When completed, they will be the first new homes to be sold directly under a Warwickshire Property & Development Group brand.

We aren’t stopping there though, as we are looking to progress other similar schemes on this basis and already have a number coming through the pipeline.

For our direct delivery residential projects, we are focusing on schemes of a scale between 20 and 70 dwellings, aiming to meet demand and enhance integrated communities across Warwickshire.

From left to right – Stuart Buckley (WPDG), Richard Sterling (Seddon), Tony Clark (Seddon), John Booth (Seddon), Cllr Peter Butlin and Tony Bunney (WPDG).

 

 

Develop Warwickshire Community enjoys strong first year

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A community fund has supported 14 projects in North Warwickshire and Nuneaton in its first year.

Develop Warwickshire – a joint venture between Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG), Vistry and Warwickshire County Council – launched the fund to support projects positively impacting the communities near its development sites.

Community groups and organisations are able to apply for up to £2,000 grant funding or in-kind support. The fund has awarded 14 grants since it launched in December 2023.

Aspire in Arts, a not-for-profit youth organisation based in Nuneaton, has benefited from the fund and received a £1,689 grant.

The organisation moved into its new town centre home last year and the grant has been used to part-fund new first floor restroom facilities.

Aspire in Arts supports more than 200 local people, runs five youth clubs per week and offers support to young people who aren’t in education or employment.

From left to right – Stuart Buckley (WPDG), Sam Smith (Aspire in Arts), Lewis Butlin (Aspire in Arts), Dave Pullin (Aspire in Arts), Amina Mamoojee (Aspire in Arts), Kirsty Lowrie (Aspire in Arts) and Paul Costiff (Vistry).

Kirsty Lowrie, Director at Aspire in Arts, said: “We are here to support young people in Nuneaton and to be there for people who need that support the most. We moved into our new building around a year ago, it’s a huge space and perfect for what we want to do.

“However, there has been a lot of work to do, much of that is ongoing, and funding from organisations like Develop Warwickshire is crucial to help us achieve our ambitions.”

Other groups to have been supported this year include Nuneaton Men and Women in Sheds, which used the funds to purchase a new router table for its workshop.

Warton Community Speed Watch, which promotes road safety in the community, has been able to purchase a speed gun through the fund, while Nuneaton North Scout Group has purchased new loft ladders and a hatch to enable access to their loft space.

White Hart Community Group has used funding to convert a woodwork workshop into a meeting room and Bedworth Ex Servicemen’s Bowling Club has been able to install new external wooden doors to prevent break-ins.

Props, costumes and programmes from a production of Beauty and the Beast at Weddington Primary School were funded through the scheme.

Volunteer group Baxterley in Bloom has installed a bench and bought a hydrostatic mower with support from the Develop Warwickshire Community Fund.

Councillor Peter Butlin, Deputy Leader of Warwickshire County Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property said: “The Develop Warwickshire Community Fund is a fantastic way to extend the work of the joint venture for the benefit of local people in North Warwickshire, Nuneaton, and Bedworth.

“Through Develop Warwickshire we are creating sustainable, high-quality, and affordable new homes that really enhance our county and the community fund is a valuable extension of this work making a difference to a range of projects and schemes that play an important role to local communities.”

Develop Warwickshire is currently delivering two residential schemes in Nuneaton and North Warwickshire, a 71-home scheme in Warton and a major 1,700 home development at Top Farm in Nuneaton.

The annual grant fund is comprised of £25,000 in cash and £25,000 work in-kind from the joint venture partners.

Stuart Buckley, Managing Director of WPDG, said: “We launched the fund a year ago with the aim of leaving a positive lasting legacy on communities in North Warwickshire and Nuneaton.

“The take-up from local organisations has been fantastic and we have been able to support a wide variety of different projects and meaningful causes.

“It was great to visit Aspire in Arts and learn about the excellent and important work they are doing for the community in Nuneaton. They are a perfect example of the projects and organisations we are aiming to support through the fund.”

Paul Costiff, Development Director at Vistry, added: “It is vital to integrate new communities with those already established when creating new places to live in. This fund is one of the ways we can make a real difference to those living around our schemes and leave a lasting legacy in our communities.”

To find out more about the Develop Warwickshire Community Fund, visit www.developwarwickshire.com/community-fund-and-applications/

WPDG wins Newcomer of the Year

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A Warwickshire-based property development group has landed major recognition for its contribution to unlocking investment in the county – just three years after forming.

Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) has been named Newcomer of the Year at the Insider West Midlands Property Awards 2024 – after being formed by Warwickshire County Council to realise the full potential of the Council’s development sites, commercial buildings and mineral rights across the county.

Judges hailed the Group’s work as a “blueprint for public sector innovation” and it was “an excellent example of a commercially-minded local authority taking the initiative”.

Since its launch, WPDG has grown into a multi-million-pound development business, with 250,000 sq ft of commercial floorspace in the pipeline that will deliver 1,000 to 10,000 sq ft units to support the growth and development of SMEs.

Alongside its extensive commercial development work, the business has a pipeline of 2,200 residential plots, which are being delivered directly and through a joint venture partnership model.

The Group’s most significant commercial achievement is a 42,200 sq ft scheme in Southam called Sucham Park, which in under two years has seen WPDG transform a redundant site without planning permission to practical completion for nine units to support local SME growth, creating around 100 jobs.

WPDG is also bringing forward up to 200,000 sq ft of similar space over the next couple of years, alongside delivering 2,200 new homes across the county through its residential developments.

Picture : Lorne Campbell / Guzelian
The Insider West Midlands Property Awards 2024 held at the Eastside Rooms , Birmingham.
PICTURE TAKEN ON THURSDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2024

Stuart Buckley, Managing Director at WPDG, said: “This award win is testament to the team at WPDG and the collaborative work that has taken place between the team and our various partners to provide the infrastructure to meet demand – whether that is providing SMEs with the right facilities to grow, or delivering on much-needed new homes.

“What we have achieved at Sucham Park in a rapid space of time – and under budget – is no mean feat, and typifies the crucial role that we can play as an organisation in helping to support the growth of the local economy.

“We are currently building a further pipeline of developments that will meet the needs of businesses seeking units that are sub 20,000 sq ft – as well as residential plots too – as we continue to grow and maximise opportunities for the county.”

Councillor Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, added: “The creation of WPDG was a major step forward for Warwickshire, and this award-winning and innovative partnership is key to our ambition to make the most of the county’s assets for the benefit of local people and local communities.

“Through WPDG the County Council delivers on its aim to make the county an attractive place to live and do business. This isn’t just about delivering about bricks and mortar, but about all the elements that make Warwickshire a thriving place to live, work and visit.”

Supporting the evolution of WPDG

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Carol Drake-Lee, Office Manager, is a key member of the team at Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG), supporting the company’s operations and making the business tick behind the scenes.

In this latest blog, Carol reflects on her three years at WPDG and her role in establishing operations, from office management and building a team to growing the company’s profile and marketing activity, while also looking ahead to the next stage of the company’s evolution.

Carol joined WPDG in 2021 and has a wealth of experience in marketing, sales, corporate hospitality, events, operations and office management in the property sector. She began her career at Rover Group, before moving into the property sector with two Warwickshire-based companies.

Carol Drake-Lee

When I saw the WPDG role advertised I knew immediately this was a company I would like to be a part of.

It was clear that WPDG was ambitious and somewhere that I could expect to make a positive impact and use all my skills.

The company has changed enormously since I joined three years ago. I’m very proud of the team that has been created and the achievements we have delivered in such a short time.

In 2021, we had a new team of three, an empty office in Warwick and a couple of desks. The foundations were there, and we set about building the business.

My time here has been incredibly rewarding and the role has entailed everything from sorting phone lines and creating a workspace for our staff, to establishing HR policies, aiding in the development of the business plan and creating marketing material to promote the company.

My career started at Rover Group in a fast-paced role in sales and marketing. I decided to take a different course after having children and started working part-time for an estate agent in Leamington, my first venture into the property sector. From there I was approached to become office manager for a rural property developer and that is where I really got into the development side and day-to-day operations of the business.

Working with the senior team and the board at WPDG I’ve been able to use many of these skills and experiences to help establish the business.

Much of my role is behind the scenes, however the WPDG branding, and website is something that is visible to external audiences.

It was important to develop a simple and professional branding that clearly identifies WPDG to its customers and partners.  This links to all our marketing material and helps communicate WPDG’s strengths and values.

In developing the new website, I was keen it should be professional, and clean and simple, in order to stand out and compete with other companies in the sector. I am proud to say the new website is up and running and provides details about WPDG developments, our latest news, important links, and information on our team, all at the click of a button.

My role has evolved dramatically over the last three years. In a very short time, the company has gone from a handful of people working in an empty office, to a well-structured team winning awards for its work in the property sector. My role will evolve again as WPDG grows further.

The key ingredients to our success have been collaboration and the excellent team we have at WPDG. Everyone is willing to jump in and help regardless of the task. It’s an exciting time for all of us to be part of a truly ambitious company and I feel privileged to be part of the team

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Warwickshire Property &
Development Group Limited

Hawkes Point, 1 Hawkes Drive,
Heathcote Industrial Estate,
Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV34 6LX