Dainton Self Storage Converts Former Engineering Building in Darlington, England

Update 9/30/15 – Dainton Self Storage has completed its conversion of the former Amec Foster Wheeler office building and is now renting storage units and office space in the renovated interior of the structure.

"Due to a fairly buoyant property market, more compact homes being built and lots of new and small businesses starting up, self-storage is enjoying healthy growth in the U.K.,” Maddicott told the source. “We believe Darlington is very much under-represented by the industry, and our new site is fantastically located off Darlington's new Eastern Transport Corridor, giving immediate access to the A66 [road].”

6/4/15 – Dainton Self Storage will spend £500,000 to convert a former office building in Darlington, England, into self-storage. The project will transform the site on Yarm Road, formerly occupied by engineering firm Amec Foster Wheeler, into storage units and office space, according to the source. The three-story facility is scheduled to open in August.

Dainton currently operates eight self-storage locations in Southwest England and Wales, with three others under development. Depending on its success, the Darlington project could trigger additional expansion into Northeast England, managing director Paul Maddicott told the source. “Our other sites are mainly concentrated in the West Country, but Darlington appears to be a great place to invest,” he said. “We shall monitor its growth with great interest as it will help us to understand the basis of our wish to expand further throughout the Northeast.”

The company recently completed a £900,000 conversion of an empty warehouse in Plymouth, England. In addition to traditional self-storage, the new facility offers business archiving, packing and moving services and supplies, and package acceptance. The business is open daily and monitored by video cameras around the clock. The project was part of a £1.8 million acquisition of the Drake Mill Business Park by parent company Dainton Group Services Ltd.

Dainton also provides moving services, portable buildings and shipping containers, primarily in Southwest England.