Warehouse to change hands (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Warehouse to change hands

A PRIVATE investment firm has snapped up an empty Swindon warehouse for almost £3 million.

The Vanguard building in South Marston Park, which used to be owned by Forward Industries, has been sold by Whitmarsh Lockhart to Tallantire, an investment firm.

Now its new owners, who bought it for £2.8 million, will refurbish and redesign the building into three smaller units.

The building as a whole is 8,706sq m (93,714sq ft), and the new units will be between 1,565sq m and 4,170sq m.

Paul Whitmarsh: "A considerable sum of money is being put into it and it's good news that it has now been bought.

"South Marston remains a successful and popular business park and we anticipate the refurbished facility will attract strong demand. We've had some interest already.

"It was designed for manufacture but now is more likely to be used for warehousing."

Quoting terms of the refurbished facility are £3.50 per square foot per annum exclusive. It is being marketed by Whitmarsh Lockhart.

Forward Industries was a manufacturer of hydraulic control systems.

It started in the early part of the 20th century, and for many years was part of the Vickers group of companies clustered around South Marston.

It was best known for producing robotic arms that handled nuclear rods in power stations.