The first speculative industrial units to be built in Bridgwater for more than a decade have been completed and are already attracting occupier interest.

The five Grade A units are located at £150 million Bridgwater Gateway business park, which is being marketed by Colliers International and Greenslade Taylor Hunt.

Phil Wade, development manager at Bridgwater Gateway, said: “We decided to speculatively develop the units as we believed there was demand for industrial space of this size in the area.

“That confidence in the market has been proven to be correct. Already we’ve seen one unit going under offer prior to completion of construction work, and we are experiencing keen interest in the remaining units from a range of companies seeking high-quality industrial premises with good access to the M5.

“The local economy in Bridgwater is predicted to see 45 per cent growth by 2030, and the enquiries we have had from potential occupiers appear to indicate the local area is beginning to attract successful businesses seeking suitable premises in Somerset.”

The five units start at 5,381 sq ft and feature a large open plan warehouse, dedicated car parking at the front, separately-accessed loading doors and parking for delivery vehicles at the rear, and first floor offices.

Tom Watkins, head of the industrial team at Colliers International, said: “Very little speculative development has taken place in Somerset in recent years, as developers have been understandably cautious about embarking upon a scheme at a time of economic uncertainly without having end-users signed up.

“To the credit of the team at Bridgwater Gateway they decided to push ahead and build speculatively, and their confidence in their scheme has been justified by the immediate interest shown by potential occupiers, with one unit going under offer prior to completed construction.

The first phase of the Bridgwater Gateway also includes a Premier Inn, which opened at the business park last year, and a range of new commercial and office buildings.