£50m deal agreed to build UK’s largest speciality fertiliser manufacturing plant

Commercial developer the Horncastle Group and global crop inputs manufacturer Yara International have struck a deal to build Britain’s largest speciality fertiliser manufacturing plant in East Yorkshire.

Caddick Construction has been appointed as main contractor on the scheme. 

The deal – representing a total investment of more than £50m – marks the start of work on Phase II of Ozone Business Park; a logistics and distribution hub in Howden, developed by the Horncastle Group. 

Building work, to be delivered by Caddick Construction as part of a £28m contract, includes state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, warehouses, and offices that will enable Yara to double production of its YaraVita speciality crop nutrition products and biostimulants, which are vital to achieving future food security and mitigating climate change. 

Virtually all the output from the plant will be exported to markets around the world, helping to meet a rising global demand for the products that help growers improve crop health and increase yields. 

Tom Horncastle, managing director of the Horncastle Group PLC, said securing Yara International as the first occupant of Phase II of Ozone Business Park was a ″fantastic result″.

Phase One of the development is home to global logistics businesses DPD and DHL, as well as family baker Warburtons. 

Horncastle said: ″Ozone Business Park is one of the best located logistics hubs in the north east of England. 

″Situated a stone’s throw from the M62 and with excellent links to the M18 and M1, it provides quick and easy access to the south, west, and north of the country. This is why the first phase of the development has been so popular with third party logistics providers. 

″Yara’s decision to locate its new manufacturing plant here demonstrates the design flexibility Ozone Business Park can provide, including the high operational power requirements needed by Yara for their production lines.″

The development has a total footprint of 295,669 sq ft and will include production, distribution and office facilities. 

Work on the main building is due to complete in summer 2024. This will be followed by an extensive plant and machinery fit-out period, with the production facility scheduled to become operational by the end of 2025. 

As part of the deal, the Horncastle Group procured planning and design for Yara, and is now acting as development manager on the project.

David Tomkinson, operations director of Yara UK and son of John Tomkinson, the founder of Phosyn, said: ″What began in Yorkshire in 1967 as Phosyn, is set to stay in Yorkshire for the next exciting leg of the Yara journey.

″Yara was put in contact with Horncastle who had already completed a development of Ozone 1 Business Park at Howden and were in the process of planning Ozone 2. 

″This opportunity presented enough land for Yara to realise it’s new Global YaraVita Plant, in addition it offered improved access to logistical networks. Horncastle assisted Yara in the design and civils of the new plant and will continue to support the development during its construction.″

Paul Dodsworth, Caddick Construction Group managing director, said: ″We’re very proud to be leading the delivery of a development that will boost the region’s industry, job market and economy. 

″Understanding our client’s ambitions, their investments in research and development, and their production processes all underpin our appointment to the project, and we look forward to applying our manufacturing expertise to this truly exciting project on behalf of Yara International.″