Harworth confirms start date for Ceramics Valley auto parts factory
Harworth will begin construction on an advanced manufacturing facility at Chatterley Park shortly, around two weeks after it had confirmed a pre-letting agreement for the site.
The 108,000 sq ft facility at Plot D3, which will be built for an unnamed automotive parts manufacturer, has been pre-let on an 18-year lease agreement.
The announcement follows a trading update issued by the firm earlier this month, which confirmed a deal had been signed, with the new occupiers set to become the 106-acre Chatterley Valley development’s first tenants.
A speculative, 58,000 sq ft unit will be also built at Plot D2, and the development is expected to be completed in the second half of 2027.
AEW is the architect for the scheme.
“Having a global leader in automotive design choose Chatterley Park as the next site in its global expansion underscores the strength of our locations and our deep understanding of occupier requirements within the advanced manufacturing sector,” said Jonathan Haigh, chief investment officer at Harworth.
“This letting marks an important milestone in the emergence of Chatterley Park as a manufacturing centre of excellence, and we continue to see strong occupier demand for units at the site.”
Earlier this year Harworth completed enabling and infrastructure works at the site and it says is now “construction-ready” to deliver up to 1.1m sq ft of industrial & logistics space, with 15 MVA of secured power.
In December 2025, Harworth secured planning permission to develop the two largest units at Chatterley Park, Plots A and B, up to a height of 40 metres.
Jonathan Gullis, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and cabinet member for planning and town centres, added: “For too long, places like ours have watched investment and opportunity go elsewhere. This announcement shows that is changing, with a major global business choosing Chatterley Valley and showing real confidence in our community.
“Turning formerly derelict land into a home for advanced manufacturing is exactly the ambition we had for this site; creating highly skilled, well-paid jobs on our doorstep and generating the momentum to make Newcastle- under-Lyme Borough a place where major employers want to invest.”
