Fairfield Business Park: Yorkshire business dating back to 19th century park sold in multi-million-pound deal

Fairfield Business Park in Pennistone has been sold in a seven-figure deal, after being restored by Barnsley-based Fairbank Investments Ltd.

Over the past two years, the site has been developed.

The fully-let park has been bought by international packaging business Neal Brothers, for a seven-figure sum. Neal Brothers are the main tenants on the site, running their export packaging business from their onsite warehouse.

The historic former David Brown plant shut at the end of 2020 when the former owner, SPX, transferred its production and manufacturing processes to an alternative UK production site, leading to job losses and vacant premises.

The 1930s factory development, once a major manufacturing hub employing more than 1,500 people at its peak production period, was given a new lease of life after being acquired by Fairbank Investments in March 2021.

Opened by shipmaker Cammell Laird in the late 19th century, the site was mothballed in 1930 but taken over by industrialist Sir David Brown in 1935. Sir David established foundry, pumps and fabrication operations in Penistone which produced bullet-proof castings during the Second World War and later specialised in manufacturing pumps for the global oil and gas industry.

The park is currently made up of 14 independent offices totalling 15,000 sq ft.

Alex Sewell of Fairbank Investments said: “We are thrilled that our vision to revitalise a local site of such historical importance has been fully realised and we have sold the business park as a thriving commercial hub, resulting in job creation and a bright future for the area.

“The legacy is an important one for the town following a few years of uncertainty but there is a diverse range of businesses on site, which have all created local employment opportunities and fully regenerated the area.

Joseph Green of Fairbank Investments added: “When the production facility closed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, this resulted in widespread redundancies, and the future of the site in Penistone looked incredibly bleak.

“As a local family business, we wanted to take positive action and restore the site to its former glory, fully benefitting the town and the local economy.”