Work has started on the £1.2 million refurbishment of the former Time Offices on Terry’s Chocolate Works in York.
S Harrison Developments Ltd was the first company to move onto the former Terry’s factory site when it relocated its headquarters from Malton to York in 2007. As well as refurbishing the existing Grade 11 listed two-storey building, a third glazed storey will be added to provide the new headquarters for the successful property and development firm which has been operating in North Yorkshire since 1952.
City planners have praised S Harrison for its imaginative design proposals which retain the integrity of the 1920s building, and for the sustainable features which the building incorporates.
When completed the office – renamed Stanley Harrison House - will exceed the CO2 emissions performance required by the Building Regulations and achieve a better than excellent BREEAM rating. With air source heating, photovoltaic panel technology and solar powered water heating the building will be largely energy self-sufficient. The Harrison team has also devised green travel plans to minimise the traffic impact of the new offices.
Says S Harrison's chairman, Martyn Harrison: "We really do believe that this project provides the benchmark for sustainable development for the city. We have demonstrated that older listed buildings can be returned to effective environmentally sustainable use.”
Tolent Construction has been appointed to carry out the building work which is expected to be completed by September. The Harrison team will move from its temporary accommodation on the ground floor to the new third storey in the Autumn. An announcement about who else will move into the building is expected shortly.
Tolent’s Leeds based Yorkshire regional director Geoff Bilton says:
“This is the third major scheme across Yorkshire and the North East on which we have teamed up with Harrison. For this one, we are delivering the refurbishment and new build while the client continues to operate from the building so it presents the challenge of causing minimum disruption during the contract. We’ve developed an excellent working relationship with Harrison and are looking forward to delivering their new headquarters.”
Harrison is one of the region’s leading property developers and forms half of the York Investors LLP – the team which will deliver the new City of York Council HQ at West Offices. York Investors also plans to build a £10 million hotel on Toft Green.
Harrison has been involved in a number of major developments in the city – including work at the University Science Park, the regeneration of Merchant Exchange and the revitalisation of Tedder Road. It has recently developed new student accommodation for York St John University off Walmgate and is currently working with Tolent to complete a further 232 study bedroom units on an adjacent site at Gray’s Wharf.
The successful Escrick Business Park was completed in 2009 and has office and warehousing units for sale or to let through agents Lawrence Hannah in York.
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