ONE of the largest agricultural equipment dealers in the UK is set to open a new depot near Malton.

Ripon Farm Services (RFS), one of the country's leading agricultural machinery suppliers, is to open a new depot at the 30-acre Eden Business Park near Malton

RFS has just received planning permission for a 22,000 sq ft building at the multi-million pound business park, which is located immediately off the A64 by the Pickering Road (A169) junction by Eden Camp.

Richard Simpson, Commercial Director of Ripon Farm Services, said: “This is a tremendously important move for us and a significant milestone in our 40-year-old history.

“Our new flagship building, will feature offices, training suites and meeting facilities for staff and customers and has been specially designed to accommodate our rapidly growing combine harvester business, including the John Deere X9. The new Malton location will be our twelfth depot in all.

“We are especially pleased to be moving to Malton, which has the enviable – and entirely justified – reputation as the food capital of the north. It is at the centre of North Yorkshire’s extensive agricultural community, which we are looking forward to serving."

Ripon Farm Services is one of the largest agricultural equipment dealers in the UK. With a workforce of over 250 RFS is a John Deere main dealer and supplies world class agricultural machinery brands such as, Kramer telehandlers, Kuhn cultivation equipment, Bailey Trailers and Sumo cultivators across Yorkshire, Teesside, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

Construction work on the new building will begin at once, with completion and occupation scheduled for August next year.

Funding for this new depot by provided by HSBC.

Miles Lawrence, director of York-based property consultants Lawrence Hannah, who are marketing Eden Business Park along with AWS Ltd on behalf of Yorkshire developers Commercial Development Projects (CDP) in conjunction with the Fitzwilliam Trust Corporation, explained: “We are delighted to welcome a company with such an excellent reputation as Ripon Farm Services. Their move is a ringing endorsement of the quality of Eden Business Park and marks the successful launch of Phase Two of the development.

“The speculative first phase of this development has proved to be a tremendous success story with all of the six industrial premises now occupied. The second phase will feature not just Ripon Farm Service, but also another high-profile occupier, who will be named shortly.

“This is both a reflection of the quality of Eden Business Park and also its superb location, with swift and easy access to York, the East Coast and to Yorkshire’s excellent motorway network. This is a winning combination.

Developers CDP are delighted that the business park, the largest speculative development in the area during the past 10 years, is proving popular, fulfilling a pent-up demand for quality industrial units with offices.

Nick Arundel of AWS Ltd said: “This is a very important development for the Malton area. Its popularity so far is a vindication of CDP’s brave decision to develop speculatively in challenging economic times.”

When Phase One was completed, Malton councillor Lindsay Burr said: “As a county and district councillor for Malton, I’m delighted to see the construction of the business units.

"Hopefully this will encourage more jobs, business, economic viability and investment into Ryedale.”