Thanks to The Courier for featuring our latest investment:
Perth company Castlecroft Group has invested £1.75 million in redeveloping old storage sheds at Perth Harbour.
The units, which will be advertised for commercial use, have a footprint of 50,000 square feet.
Family-run commercial property developers Castlecroft hopes “something a little bit different” will go into the site, which had traditionally been used for storage of grains, foodstuffs and other organic items brought down the Tay in boats.
Managing director Jordan Black told The Courier the units could serve a range of commercial functions, from gym or padel court, to industrial space and bulk storage.
It follows a £3m investment by the company at their Keepsafe site in Fife earlier this year.
Castlecroft has operated in Perth for more than 40 years and also runs the Scotloo portable toilet company.
They were recipients of the Courier Business Award family business trophy at last year’s event at the Apex City Quay.
Castlecroft’s Perth Harbour investment
Jordan Black is the third generation of his family to run the business, which was set up by his grandfather in the 1980s.
He said his company’s investment was a good news story for Perth Harbour.
“There are a lot of unknowns on Perth Harbour’s future, but we are investing in it,” he said.
“This is a natural progression plan for us, as a business.
“We are probably the largest commercial business owners down at the harbour. We saw the opportunity and have decided to do something with it.
“The units had traditionally been used for storage, whether that’s been fishmeal, animal feed, organic products etc.
“And we are coming in with a commercial outlook.
“We are refurbishing the two large, 15,000 sq ft units, totalling 30,000 sq ft. They’ve been stripped down, including removing the asbestos roofs.
“And we are refitting them with modern insulated cladding, new toilets, canteens and things like that.”
He added: “We are looking to entice a range of businesses to them.
“That could (even be something like) a gym or padel court, we don’t quite know just yet.
“But we are looking to use them for commercial businesses. Something a little bit different that had been there before.”
Harbour investment
Jordan continued: “Perth Harbour needs investment. And I think it needs to go in a direction which might not have been done previously.
“We want to expand our portfolio, and offer something that previous companies have not been able to do.
“There’s been some previous bad press on the harbour and we want to come in and do something that hasn’t been done before.
“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but we are trying to stimulate it, and that’s something a little bit different to what’s been done prior.”