From the Carlisle News and Star:
HAULAGE giant Eddie Stobart is to switch its entire operation to Carlisle airport, a move that will result in the city’s Kingmoor Park complex increasing by 17 acres. Kingmoor boss Brian Scowcroft this week sealed a deal to buy Eddie Stobart’s Kingstown Industrial Estate site from Andrew Tinkler, owner of parent company WA Developments. The deal will also push forward plans to transform the airport into an international freight and passenger terminal, which is considered key to the county’s economic future. The Eddie Stobart site, which borders Kingmoor, will give the industrial estate an extra 328,433 sq ft of warehouse space.
Mr Tinkler, chairman of WA Developments and chief executive of Eddie Stobart said: “We are very happy to have concluded the sale of our Kingstown facility to Kingmoor Park Properties. The proceeds from the sale will strengthen our two-year strategy to develop Carlisle Airport into an international freight and passenger terminal and will allow us to re-locate all of our businesses there. The new infrastructure will hopefully serve to attract other businesses into the region. The investment reinforces our commitment to Cumbria, which I believe will massively benefit the local economy. The relocation will tie in with the two-year redevelopment of the airport which is currently underway.”
Kingmoor Park chief executive Tony Goddard said: “The completion of this deal couldn’t be more timely given the recent good news about the Carlisle Northern Development Route (CNDR). We have created a serious amount of jobs at Kingmoor Park because it is an excellent location. The realisation of the CNDR enables us to build on that advantage and develop Kingmoor Park to its fullest extent. Our development land and our new acquisition adjacent to Kingmoor Park East will benefit enormously from a strengthened transport infrastructure. We can also kickstart our hub project for retail, office, restaurant and leisure facilities, which has already received planning permission but needed confirmation of the CNDR.”
Under the deal, Kingmoor Park has bought a 125-year ground lease from WA Developments. The freehold of the site is still owned by Carlisle City Council. Mr Tinkler, who already has an executive jet based at the airport, took over Eddie Stobart Ltd with his business partner William Stobart in 2003.