52,000 sq ft industrial unit to be built at Rhyd Y Blew, Ebbw Vale: Knight Frank

A new 52,582 sq ft manufacturing unit is to be built by Welsh Government at the Rhyd y Blew industrial site at Ebbw Vale in the latest step in a programme to develop the remaining 30 acres available on the site.

Work to construct the high-quality RYB1 unit will begin later this year and it will be available to let in the second half of  2023. It is being built to BREEAM Excellent standards, and with the intention of being carbon neutral when operating, and will comprise manufacturing or production space with two-storey open-plan office accommodation and a dedicated secure service yard and loading area.

Acting on behalf of Welsh Government, commercial property consultancy Knight Frank is marketing the 36 acre Rhyd y Blew industrial site at Ebbw Vale, where funding of £1.6 million has enabled the construction of infrastructure including roads and services to be completed. The site sits within the Ebbw Vale Enterprise Zone

Neil Francis, head of Logistics & Industrial division at Knight Frank in Cardiff, said: “The RYB1 unit should be attractive to a wide range of businesses, with its modern design, green credentials and location close to the Heads of the Valleys road.

“It will deliver much needed Grade A accommodation to help meet the very strong levels of demand in the market, and Welsh Government is to be commended for having the confidence to speculatively develop the building.”

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said: “Projects such as this investment ready unit on a strategic industrial site are a clear example of our ambitious aims to drive and support high quality employment opportunities and skills development across Wales.

“We are exploring every opportunity to support the growth of our economy as we continue to rebound post-pandemic, and the development of these new premises will complement the huge investment that has been made in the dualling of the A465 Heads of the Valleys road.

“This will help provide confidence for further developments in the Tech Valleys area, which we believe can become a globally recognised centre of excellence for new technologies and the advanced manufacturing sector, and the wider South East Wales region which is also rich in potential.”

Knight Frank is seeking purchasers for a range of plots at Rhyd y Blew. Neil Francis commented: “Rhyd y Blew is one of the largest development sites immediately available in South Wales and is designated as a mixed-use site.

“While it is envisaged that the land would be developed as a manufacturing site it could also be used for other employment purposes such as distribution and warehousing – or could provide an ideal site for an office park.”