Industrial investment opportunities on Witham’s Freebournes Industrial Estate
The industrial property market continues to show resilience, particularly in well-connected locations like Witham and south Essex, where demand for high-quality logistics and manufacturing space remains steady. Freebournes Industrial Estate, located just off Junction 22 of the A12, is a prime example, offering excellent access to the M25, East Coast ports, and Stansted Airport, along with frequent rail services to London Liverpool Street. Below, we highlight two significant industrial investment opportunities currently for sale on this established estate:
Francis House, Freebournes Road, Witham – Guide Price: £7,000,000
This is a rare opportunity to acquire a long leasehold industrial investment comprising 88,405 sq. ft. of high-quality accommodation.
The property features a modern warehouse with an impressive minimum eaves height of approx. 12.2m rising to 16.8m with 4 rear loading doors. Features include LED lighting and a high-specification two-storey office section with reception, a mix of open-plan and private offices, meeting rooms and staff facilities. Externally, the site offers secure parking for approximately 80 vehicles.
The property is let to Crittall Windows Ltd on an unbroken 10-year lease from March 2022, generating a passing rent of £495,000 per annum. Their roots can be traced back to the mid-1800s, when Francis Berrington Crittall and his son Francis Henry Crittall established their window manufacturing business in Braintree, Essex. Crittall Windows Limited was incorporated as a limited company in 1924. Nearly 200 years of exceptional craftsmanship have earned the firm a reputation synonymous with quality steel windows and doors. In order to protect this longstanding legacy, the word Crittall was registered with UK Trademark No. UK00000492639 on 22nd June 1928. (Source: www.crittall-windows.co.uk)
Soprema House & 20 Freebournes Road, Witham – Guide Price: POA
This substantial freehold site comprises two modern industrial / warehouse buildings – Soprema House and 20 Freebournes Road – totalling 91,733 sq. ft. on a site of approximately 3.63 acres.
Soprema House was constructed in 1999/2000 and is a modern, purpose built industrial/warehouse facility with two loading doors. It offers 45,886 sq. ft. of accommodation, including two-storey air-conditioned offices and a well-presented reception area with a passenger lift. The property is let to Soprema UK Ltd on a five-year lease from March 2023, generating a passing rent of £442,000 per annum. Soprema UK Ltd is a robust tenant, having reported a turnover of £25.7 million and a pre-tax profit of £2.9 million in 2024.
Adjacent to Soprema House is 20 Freebournes Road which offers a further 45,847 sq. ft. of clear span warehouse space. This building includes two loading doors and a two-storey front section comprising ground floor storage and staff welfare facilities, with air-conditioned office accommodation on the first floor.
Both units are connected to mains services and benefit from a substation housing two 1,000 kVA transformers and a high-capacity gas supply, making the site well-suited to energy-intensive operations.
Why Freebournes Industrial Estate?
Witham’s Freebournes Industrial Estate continues to attract national and international occupiers due to its strategic location and pro-business environment. The presence of Witham Industrial Watch, a business-led estate management initiative, further enhances security and operational standards across the estate.
James Wright, Associate Partner at Fenn Wright, commented “Freebournes Industrial Estate remains a key location for industrial investment in Essex. These two properties offer investors secure income from established tenants and the potential for long-term capital growth in one of Essex’s most resilient industrial markets.”