Lying some 30 miles north of central London and just ten minutes from Luton Airport, Butterfield Business Park is a constantly evolving flourishing commercial space for a mix of both local and international businesses.
Our relationship with the landowners of Butterfield Business Park in Luton began back in 2015 and endures today. In this case study, we explore HBD’s role in unlocking the site’s full potential and a vision that has helped meet wider demand locally and regionally.
Back in 2015, HBD was appointed to undertake the transformation of Butterfield Business Park, working on behalf a collection of landowners including the Crown Estate and Luton Borough Council.
This was a site with extraordinary potential, standing close to the capital, Luton Airport and the UK’s motorways.
Delivering in collaboration
Building on a longstanding reputation of collaboration, HBD embraced the landowners’ vision for Butterfield, committing to a phased development programme, delivering a range of speculative and design and build developments.
Our first phase of development within the park, was ‘The Quad’, a development of ten units totalling 83,000sq ft of employment space; these speculatively built units were either fully let or sold within 12 months of practical completion.
We then turned our attention to the next phase, delivering the 73,000sq ft unit nine, which was pre let to food distributor Eden Farm, completing in 2021.
Next came the second speculative development of ‘The Quad 2’ – a collection of five units to the south of Eden Farm, which we completed in June 2022. Once again, all the units were sold or let prior to the completion date such was the market demand for high quality employment space in the Luton area.
In June 2023, we completed the latest phase of development comprising 85,000sq ft of employment accommodation. This bespoke design and build unit was pre let to Shoal Group and provides warehouses space spanning 70,000sq ft plus high spec office accommodation across two floors.
Proven success
Over the years, HBD has honed its ability to deliver development at pace at Butterfield Park, offering a refined build programme to be able to achieve some of the quickest delivery timescales in the market.
We work hand in glove with the occupiers, from pre contract design, through planning and construction to deliver superb, bespoke design buildings on time and to budget. We have been able to appeal to occupiers, with fair rentals and the rare offering of units on both leasehold and freehold options – something only a handful of other developers offer.
We’ve also done much of the infrastructure works at Butterfield including extending the loop road to improve access, as well as ensuring occupiers here had access to a sufficient power supply.
The future for Butterfield
Butterfield’s story continues with the forthcoming planning application for another 450,000sq ft of E(g), B2 and B8 space which will be delivered via both design and build opportunities and speculative phases.
Our long history and knowledge of the site and understanding of its often tricky planning constraints means we can draw on our experience and are able to move each phase of development forward as quickly as possible.
With a flexible masterplan, HBD’s knowledge and insight and the shared aspiration of its multiple landowners all working in close collaboration we can make the very most of every development opportunity at Butterfield. Everyone is joined up in the ambition to deliver the very highest quality of development and design.
Thanks to the many occupiers that have established their operations here, Butterfield Business Park is today home to a wide array of thriving businesses, businesses which have created hundreds of jobs and made a significant impact on the local economy.
