The official launch of Engine Works Park, a major new commercial site in Margate, was marked today (May 8) with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Councillor Leo Britcher, Deputy Mayor of Margate.
Developed by Yeats, Engine Works Park delivers 126,000 sq ft of high-specification SME workspace across a four-acre site on the former Cummins site. The scheme consists of 59 flexible units ranging from 1,500 to 5,100 sq ft, designed to support modern, high-growth businesses.
It is the first site in a multi-million pound project to create a chain of ‘innovation hubs’ across the country which is backed with investment from Irish entrepreneur Niall Molloy.
The launch event held at Continental Approach, Westwood Industrial Estate welcomed representatives from Kent County Council, Thanet District Council, East Kent Chamber of Commerce, Margate Creative Land Trust and local businesses looking to expand their operations, highlighting its role in driving economic growth.
Engine Works Park brings together industrial, logistics, and office uses within a single, well-connected location. The scheme is designed to provide high-quality, adaptable space for a diverse range of occupiers, supporting business expansion and job creation in the area.
Guests at the event were given an introduction to the vision behind Engine Works Park, followed by a drink’s reception and guided tours of the newly completed units.
It is a fresh chapter for a site that had a rich industry heritage before being razed by a massive 25 day blaze in 2018.
The Hilger and Watts factory opened at the plot that is now Continental Approach in 1964, with then Secretary of State for Trade and Broadstairs man Ted Heath performing the honours.
The £300,000 factory – equating to some £7m today –manufactured high tech instrumentation for the analysis of steels and chemicals and exported all over the world. The company, which went through name changes from Hilger and Watts to Rank Hilger and later Hilger Analytical, employed hundreds of people as engineers, physicists and other occupations and was a major employer for the area.
Neighbour companies at the time included Emco and at the top end of the estate, Hornby.
The premises was later taken over by Cummins Engines, the diesel engine manufacturer that Engine Works Park takes its name from, but the company has since relocated.
The factory site was hit by the massive fire in 2018 and, in the aftermath, mounds of ash and debris were piled up within the wreckage of the unit.
The charred remains were untouched for two years before the transformation into Engine Works Park.
At the launch event, John O’Neill, Managing Director of Yeats said: “Today marks an important milestone for Margate and the wider South East. Engine Works Park has been carefully designed to meet the needs of ambitious businesses looking for high-quality space in a strategic location. We are proud to deliver a scheme that supports economic growth and strengthens Margate’s commercial offer.”
Niall Lawlor, of Yeats, said there is demand on the isle for good quality commercial and industrial space, adding: “We took a big risk but we are building high grade commercial and industrial units and this area deserves that and the demand is there to fill these spaces.
“It took a massive clean up and a lot of money but I am really pleased with how it’s come out.”
Construction of the new Engine Works Park began in January 2025 under principal contractor South East Steel. The site boasts split-level layouts super-fast broadband, three-phase electricity, solar PV panels, and electric vehicle charging.
Mr Lawlor added: “This area is on an upward trajectory and that has given us confidence to risk our capital here.”
Further information can be found www.engineworkspark.com
