A cursory glance of articles linked to job creation in Northamptonshire would leave the impression that the County is only good for warehousing and distribution jobs.

Budworth Hardcastle, commercial agents with offices throughout Northamptonshire and North Cambridgeshire in Peterborough, Kettering, Northampton and Milton Keynes state that nothing could be further from the truth.

Gilbert Harvey, a Director based in the firm’s Kettering office states “over the last 12 months there have been notable lettings of office space in North Northamptonshire in general and Corby in particular all of which will create service sector jobs. Although the office space take up is obviously smaller than the news breaking distribution warehouse deals that we have undertaken , we and the organisations focused on creating economic growth opportunities in the area perhaps do not broadcast deals linked to office take up as much as we should”.

Last year Valassis sold their Bangrave Road headquarters to Rotheram based MET UK who have established a training centre in the unit. Valassis relocated to a 9,000sq.ft office unit at Weldon House on Priors Haw Road within the town. The two transactions therefore culminating in a national company setting up a training centre in Corby whilst Valissis showed their commitment to remaining in the town.

On the office scheme at the Headway Business Park at the southern tip of Corby, IDC (UK) Ltd who trade as Euromedic took nearly 8,000sq.ft of new office space. ‘The Headway Business Park is an interesting case in point’ says Gilbert Harvey who coordinates the marketing of the scheme “the first three new occupiers of the scheme were accountants Moore Stephens, solicitors Lamb & Holmes and civil engineers Jeakins Weir. These are all companies well established in Corby looking to secure modern high specification office space. The fact they are joined by a company new to the area is good news for the employment opportunities in the service sector.”

Further east in Oundle Budworth Hardcastle also advised Fairline Boats on their move from a small 1970s office building on their Barnwell Road site to a state of the art 23,000sq.ft headquarters building on the Nene Valley Business Park. Like many companies, Fairline may have had a difficult 12 months of trading but the efficiencies that have come about through the upgrading of their office function means their Design and R&D divisions are now well placed to move the company forward.

Back in Corby, fully fitted modern office accommodation remains available. Given the successes at the Headway Business Park there are now only two units available ranging from 1,885sq.ft up to 4,000sq.ft. Elsewhere on the Oakley Hay employment area of the town the highly successful Blenheim Park scheme also has two units available to lease ranging from 1,100sq.ft up to 3,700sq.ft.

Another significant vote of confidence in the town has come via the letting of 5,000 sqft of offices at Exchange Park adjacent to Corby’s new railway station. There the Homes and Communities Agency have taken possession .The 18,000 sqft Exchange Court office scheme therefore is now fully occupied where neighbouring users include local firm Tollers Solicitors and the North Northants Development Company Ltd.