THE firm credited with helping bring Hitachi to the North-East are pressing ahead with the next phase of development - this time setting sights on buyers closer to home due to “uncertainty” over Brexit.

Developers Merchant Anglo have unveiled plans to expand its Merchant Park site, in Newton Aycliffe, which is currently home to Japanese high-speed train manufacturer Hitachi Rail Europe.

The company had hopes of bringing more tier one companies – companies which supply components direct to the manufacturer – to the site with the promise of new state-of-the-art premises but say Brexit has put potential buyers off.

Geoff Hunton, director of Merchant Anglo, said: “Hitachi was a big deal for us and that building was completed in 2015. In 2017 we were concentrating on the remainder of the site.

“We had tier one inquiries and they have drifted off and have gone over the cliff because of uncertainty about the future.

“The bigger companies and organisations aren’t making up their minds and are going off to see what happens on the ground - whether we are going to pull out.”

The firm is nevertheless moving forward to deliver its masterplan vision which will see a further three industrial units, from 5,000 square feet in size, built alongside the Hitachi factory.

Two units will be part of the newly launched Station Place development which benefits from the same transport links for rail, road, sea and air as with Hitachi.

Mr Hunton and his team are now looking to organisations in the local area for prospective buyers.

Two inquiries were made at a network meeting on Friday.

“We realise there is an opportunity within the industrial estate itself,” he added.

“It’s the uncertainty that has certainly caused us delays and this is why we’ve changed tack on this and are coming from another direction.

"There are people on the industrial estate wanting to move to smaller units or expand.

“We’ve got to recognise a lot of the buildings on Newton Ayliffe’s industrial park are old buildings and are more costly for people to adapt.

“These are brand new state-of-the-art facilities for people to move into.”

Designed by Ryder Architecture, the units can be tailored to the needs of the buyer and will be ready for occupation in summer 2019.

National firm of chartered surveyors Sanderson Weatherall have been appointed alongside joint agents CBRE.

Chris Dent, head of industrial agency for the North-East at Sanderson Weatherall, said: “We know there is demand for smaller flexible high quality industrial units that simply isn’t being catered for.

"Station Place will tick the boxes for that market.”