A FORMER data centre belonging to a leading mobile phone operator will become the new home of a thermoplastics designer and manufacturer.

Thysis Technical Mouldings, which provides services from design to manufacture using a wide range of thermoplastics, is to occupy a 23,481 sq ft warehouse on Yarm Road Industrial Estate in Darlington.

The former data centre was acquired by Chancerygate, an industrial developer and asset manager, earlier this year as part of a deal to purchase a number of EE data centres across the UK.

Thysis Technical Mouldings is set to occupy the entire unit having committed to a 10-year lease.

The thermoplastics business has an existing production facility in York and bosses say this additional property is ideally located close to one of their key customers.

They also confirmed they chose the location as it benefits from a secure yard with car parking and good access to the A1 (M), A66 and A19.

Terry Goodwin, managing director at Thysis, said: “Further to Chancerygate carrying out an excellent refurbishment, the location and layout of the property is ideally suited to fulfil our future plans.’’

David Tyson, asset manager at Chancerygate, added: “We are pleased to be able to meet the requirements Thysis Technical Mouldings had to take an additional unit in the area and to have attracted a new employer to Darlington.

"The former data centre was the most recent asset we acquired from EE and with CPNE identifying a suitable tenant early on, the property’s void period has been relatively short.”

EE employs almost 3,000 workers answering customer queries from offices in Darlington, and is one of the town's biggest private sector employers.

Chancerygate has more than two million sq ft of industrial space under construction or ready to be brought forward for development and manages more than £230m of assets across the UK.

In 2017, Chancerygate invested more than £23m acquiring 10 sites comprising 50 acres to create an ongoing development pipeline of one million sq ft.

The announcement confirms more investment along Yarm Road, following confirmation yesterday that work is expected to begin on Ingenium Parc, a 40-hectare industrial estate expected to create more than 2,000 jobs.

The first phase of construction, close to the existing Cummins engine factory, hopes to create 1,000 jobs by 2021 while longer-term estimates hope for a complete workforce of 2,000 staff on the site.

Speaking earlier this week, Cllr Stephen Harker, leader of Darlington Borough Council said: “Ingenium Parc will create high-quality industrial employment opportunities for the next generation - it will be an excellent addition to support Darlington’s growing economy.

"The site is well placed for access to the motorway network and will provide opportunities for our skilled workforce.

“We’re well aware of the importance of the site for its biodiversity and we’ve gone to great lengths to mitigate against any impact."