Leicester's first self-storage depot is to set up next year, with the acquisition of 20,000 sq ft of commercial property space from the Davidsons Group.

The development at Abbey Lane, is one of the first commercial developments to be made available by the Davidsons Group. The move is seen as a real coup by the expanding Bardon company, which has recently celebrated its first anniversary.

The largest self-storage company in the UK, Safestore Self Storage, will open its first store close to Leicester Science Park before the end of 2009. Work is due to start on site next month.

The new site is designed to service the surrounding Loughborough, Nuneaton, Market Harborough and Melton Mowbray areas.

It aims to provide affordable storage for businesses, households and students or archives, either on a long-term, short-term or seasonal basis. Bulk and furniture storage solutions will also be available.

Gary Barber, commercial property consultant for Davidsons, said: "We are delighted that one of our first commercial ventures to come out of the ground has attracted such a prestigious buyer.

"Safestore Self Storage has more than 85 stores nationwide and a further 21 centres in Paris. It's a real coup to have them open a depot in Leicester and we're glad they chose a Davidsons building to accommodate it."

The Davidsons Group also has the adjacent and most prominent 0.55-acre corner plot on Abbey Park Road and Abbey Lane, which has planning consent for a car showroom, or for serviced offices and apartments.

Davidsons - set up by building tycoon David Wilson, whose son James fronts the venture - is achieving early success with a number of high-quality residential commercial projects within a 50-mile radius of Leicester.

The firm is targeting 20 per cent of turnover to be achieved through commercial property development.

Mr Barber added: "The intention for the Abbey Road site now is to compliment the Safestore scheme by finding an occupier for this remaining corner plot before the year end."

Source: Leicester Mercury

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