A TRADING estate is bucking the current business trend with the letting of a further 40,000 sq ft of industrial space.

Three deals have gone through on the 180-acre Hartlebury Trading Estate.

The largest space has been taken by Larch Lap, of Forest Garden plc, a large manufacturer of timber garden products.

It has taken a 30,500 sq ft manufacturing and distribution facility to keep up with the growth in the market for garden furniture.

This is in addition to the company's 93,000 sq ft unit already established on the estate.

Also relocating to the estate is Oneway Garden Leisure, a manufacturer of pine garden furniture.

The company is relocating its furniture finishing and distribution facility from a trading estate in Kidderminster.

The company's new production unit in Hartlebury, with an integral office, forms part of a 12-month expansion programme for the company.

Logistic specialist TNT is the third tenant to have signed a new deal, taking an 8,000 sq ft unit in addition to the 34,000 sq ft distribution facility the company already occupies.

Thirty more people will need to be employed.

"As a result of an expansion of TNT's international business, which has recently increased by £100,000 a week, the company required 15 additional collection vehicles operating from the Hartlebury Trading Estate", said a spokesman for TNT.

"Consequently, TNT has invested in a £600,000 expansion plan to extend its premises at the estate to accommodate a further 15 loading bays with roller shutter doors, and 30 additional members of staff."

Situated in a landscaped parkland setting, the Hartlebury estate is the largest industrial park in owner Saville Gordon's 14.4 million sq ft British property portfolio.

Industrial space on the estate ranges from 640 sq ft to 160,000 sq ft.