Scientific Laboratory Supplies (SLS) has agreed a long-term lease with Clowes Developments for a purpose-built 56,000 sq ft property at the brand-new Fairham Business Park. The unit has recently achieved practical completion by lead contractor, TanRo, and the keys have been handed over to the client. SLS’s fit-out contractors are currently on site, completing the necessary works with the aim of being fully operational at the start of 2024.
SLS first began trading in 1991 and has since grown to become the UK’s largest independent supplier of laboratory equipment, chemicals and consumables. Having outgrown their headquarters in neighbouring town, Wilford, SLS wanted to remain local but make the move to a purpose-built facility.
The 56,000 sq ft building located on ‘plot A’ at Fairham Business Park sits prominently close to the entrance to the business park and has direct access to the A453 via Mill Hill Island. SLS’s bespoke unit will span 56,000 sq ft in total, incorporating approximately 12,000 sq ft of office space. There’s a large, secure yard with two loading docks and two-level loading doors to assist with their distribution and logistics requirements.
On a particularly wet and muddy Tuesday afternoon at the start of November last year, members of SLS’s leadership team met with Clowes Developments’ Development Director, James Richards and his team of professional advisors to officially ‘cut the sod’ and start construction. Now, eight months on, SLS is setting up their unit, ready for operations.
Tim Gilbertson, Director at FHP Property Consultants who negotiated the deal with SLS and Clowes Developments, commented, “It is a pleasure to see SLS choose Fairham for their relocation. Having worked with SLS many times over the years, I have seen first-hand the success of their business. I remember vividly my first conversation with them regarding Fairham and how, once they had seen the location of the site, enthused they were, which is why we have interest not only from SLS but so many other companies at present and are speculatively developing stock. They, like so many others, have been blown away by the connectivity of the site being outside of Nottingham’s Workplace Parking Levy but benefiting from a location that provides access to a dual carriageway link to the M1 motorway and Nottingham City Centre whilst having bus and tram stops and park & ride scheme next door to the site and being within spitting distance of East Midlands Parkway Station and of course East Midlands Airport.
It is a delight to see the way in which we have moved that first conversation through to reality and I look forward to seeing SLS grow still further at Fairham Business Park.”
James Richards, Director at Clowes Developments added: “It’s been a long time coming, but finally, Fairham is really starting to take shape. SLS will occupy the fourth unit to be built at Fairham Business Park and we are thrilled to have them on board. Fairham will become a place like no other, a combination of one million square foot of commercial development connected to a residential scheme for 3,000 brand new homes and a neighbourhood centre at the core knitting Fairham together as one. We look forward to announcing more businesses choosing to make Fairham Business Park their home over the next few months.”
