Liam Hunt, MD and owner of furniture manufacturer Ambic Manufacturing, will break ground in early 2026 on an ambitious industrial estate development delivering at least 26,500 sq ft of high-quality manufacturing and business space in Pelton Fell, Chester-le-Street.
The development represents a natural expansion for the entrepreneur, who has grown from taking on a single manufacturing business six years ago to overseeing five North East companies, supported by his participation in the government-funded Help to Grow: Management Course at Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University.
With construction scheduled to commence in January 2026, the dual-phase project will first deliver seven industrial units in Phase 1 over an estimated 12-month build programme. Phase 2 will follow immediately after, transforming the larger adjacent site into a mixed-use development over an anticipated 24-month construction period.
The units in the first phase will span 1,000 to 2,300 sq ft, specifically designed to attract small light industrial businesses. The second phase, which will benefit from direct access to the Coast to Coast Cycle Route, has already generated strong interest from business, fitness, and hospitality operators - including a major gym chain and restaurant group. With the option for mezzanine levels, the overall development's total floor space could potentially double to over 50,000 sq ft.
Liam Hunt, MD and owner of Ambic Manufacturing, commented: "We're seeing significant demand for quality industrial space in the region, and this development will give local businesses room to grow. The ambition for the project, and in particular for Phase 2, is to create something different – a business environment that supports both work and wellbeing, while capitalising on our position on one of the UK's most popular cycling routes.”
Liam's move into commercial property development marks the latest chapter in a remarkable entrepreneurial journey that began in 2019, when he acquired Ambic Manufacturing alongside Stella Blast, a powder coating services company, at just 29. Since then, he has transformed the business by installing a new senior leadership team and implementing a strategic business plan to unlock its full potential. Building on this foundation, Liam has since launched a number of complementary businesses including Vespa Contracts (joinery and installations), Custom Fit Campers (campervan conversions), and an upholstery manufacturing company.
Liam credits his participation in the 90% government-funded Help to Grow: Management programme in 2023 as a turning point in his approach to business expansion: "Before I joined the Help to Grow: Management Course, I was working in my businesses rather than on them. The programme gave me a structured approach that answered questions I didn't even know I had. It helped me step back and look at my businesses with peripheral vision rather than tunnel vision. It also gave me the strategic mindset I needed to manage multiple businesses at once while also expanding into new opportunities."
The course has also been invaluable with this latest venture. Liam adds: "The structured thinking I developed helped me evaluate this opportunity properly – looking at the numbers, understanding the strategic fit, and ensuring it was a sustainable opportunity."
Beyond business growth, Liam has demonstrated a commitment to regional development through the STEM Challenge, a furniture design competition that has engaged over 5,000 schoolchildren across 70+ schools in the North East over three years.
Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, which delivers the Help to Grow: Management Course, said: "Liam exemplifies entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrates how far it can take you when paired with expert insight, practical business knowledge, and 1-2-1 mentoring.
"Liam has demonstrated a natural flair for business, but it's been fantastic to see how the Help to Grow: Management Course has helped him channel his energy and talent strategically. This has supported not just the growth of Ambic Manufacturing, but also the portfolio of businesses he has established and acquired over the past six years. Help to Grow: Management, delivered by our network of Small Business Charter accredited business schools, exists to empower leaders like Liam to scale up, build resilience, and realise their full potential."
The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 90% government-funded leadership programme for SME businesses, delivered by a network of Small Business Charter accredited business schools. The course runs over 12 weeks and includes online and face-to-face sessions, 10 hours of 1-to-1 mentoring and peer networking. Its mission is to increase economic growth and productivity through improved management and leadership practice.
To learn more about the development and/or keep up with Liam’s journey, follow him on LinkedIn.
Business leaders can find out more about the Help to Grow: Management Course and sign here.
About Help to Grow: Management:
Help to Grow: Management is a 12-week course designed to support business leaders and their senior managers to increase resilience, innovation, and growth within their organisations.
Developed and delivered by the network of Small Business Charter accredited business schools, the course is available in more than 60 locations across the UK and is 90% government funded. It is designed to fit around existing work and personal commitments, providing business leaders with more than 50 hours of online and in person training including 10 hours of one-to-one mentoring. Individuals completing the course automatically join the Alumni Network, where they have access to exclusive events, content and partner offers, as well as the support of a UK-wide peer network.
The Small Business Charter (SBC) empowers small business success through its network of expert business schools. Developed 10 years ago by Lord Young, the previous Department for Business, and the Chartered Association of Business Schools, the SBC was established to signpost entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local economic stakeholders to business schools in their region with the expertise to help them thrive. There are 67 SBC accredited business school centres of excellence across the UK which are trusted partners of local stakeholders and the national government to deliver effective leadership and productivity programmes and small business support to drive economic growth.