Tool supplier launches new branch as Luton site secured

Tool supplier ITS has agreed a 10-year lease on a 24,716 sq ft warehouse at Bilton Way Industrial Estate in Luton, marking the launch of a new branch at the established Bedfordshire logistics hub.

Commercial property consultancy Kirkby Diamond, part of Eddisons, advised landlord Brightbay Real Estate Partners on the letting.

The deal underlines continued occupier demand for well-located industrial accommodation in Luton, particularly from trade and logistics businesses. Bilton Way Industrial Estate is located approximately two miles from the M1 motorway and comprises 49 units totalling around 420,000 sq ft.

The unit has undergone a comprehensive refurbishment programme overseen by Kirkby Diamond’s building consultancy team, following the resolution of dilapidations with the former tenant.

ITS, which operates branches in Harlow, Walthamstow and Chelmsford, supplies more than 29,000 products with a next-day delivery service.

Kirkby Diamond’s industrial and logistics team, led by senior partner and head of sector Eamon Kennedy alongside Paul Quy, head of the Milton Keynes agency, acted for Brightbay on the transaction. It follows the recent letting of a 26,590 sq ft unit at the estate to builders’ merchant MKM Building Supplies as part of its national expansion programme.

Eamon Kennedy said: “Securing another well-established national occupier at Bilton Way, so soon after the MKM letting, highlights both the strength of Luton’s industrial market and the quality of the estate. Over the past 12 months the scheme has attracted several new tenants, completing more than 100,000 sq ft of lettings.”

Mark Pepper, head of Kirkby Diamond’s building consultancy team, added: “Working closely with the landlord and incoming occupier, we have delivered a high-quality refurbished facility that meets ITS’s operational requirements and enhances the overall specification of the estate.”

Kevin Hubbard, managing director of ITS, said: “We are delighted to be expanding our operations into Luton with our new base at Bilton Way. This move represents an exciting step forward for our business, and the process has been made seamless thanks to the support we received from the teams at Kirkby Diamond. We look forward to establishing a successful presence at Bilton Way and to continued growth in the region.”

Kirkby Diamond continues to act as sole agent on the Bilton Way Industrial Estate, providing agency, lease advisory, and building consultancy services on behalf of BrightBay Real Estate.