Former Welsh national rugby union coach Mike Ruddock joined VIPs at a special event to celebrate a major milestone for a leading commercial property developer in Wales. Celebrating its 10th anniversary developing commercial property in south Wales, Robert Hitchins Limited revealed a property and development portfolio that has now reached the GBP100 million mark. At a lunch held last Friday (24 November), the Cheltenham-based developer welcomed guests to the Celtic Manor Hotel, Newport and announced the continued expansion on existing sites owned by the company across south Wales, and the acquisition of new ones.

Its new developments and refurbished properties in the principality now total close to a million square feet (92,767 square metres).

'It was extremely challenging to establish ourselves in the region from a standing start, as we did in 1996,' said Robert Hitchins' development consultant, David Herbert.

'But we've enjoyed outstanding success thanks to all the organisations that have assisted us and the quality of our tenants'.

Christopher Haslam, Robert Hitchins' property and development director, was particularly appreciative of his team, and confirmed that the company was looking to expand further in the near future.

Current developments in Wales by Robert Hitchins include Central Park in Bridgend, Eastern business park and Fusion Point in Cardiff, Cleppa 4 and 24/7 at Newport and Castlegate Business Park at Caldicot.

Central Park is one of the latest additions to Robert Hitchins' portfolio in south Wales.

It is the 22-acre site of the former Bayer Diagnostics manufacturing facility.

The main building consists 225,000 sq ft, with much of the site now being leased back to Kimball Electronics Wales Limited.

The site was acquired via a tender process through the Welsh Development Agency.

The agreement with Kimball allows the flexibility for the occupier to grow into space, with options to expand or release space as required.