North Wales is seeing continued investment in new industrial and employment space.
A report published by the Development Bank of Wales on 24 August 2026 details almost £7 million of Wales Commercial Property Fund support for four commercial property projects in Kinmel Bay, Conwy and Bangor.
Together, the schemes are expected to deliver almost 67,000 sq ft of modern commercial space across 32 units. The developments include:
- Almost 17,000 sq ft at Tir Llwyd Enterprise Park, Kinmel Bay.
- Almost 21,000 sq ft at Conwy Morfa Enterprise Park.
- Almost 19,000 sq ft at Parc Bryn Cegin, Bangor.
- A further 10,000 sq ft in the first phase of a separate Parc Bryn Cegin scheme.
The projects are designed to support manufacturing, warehousing, offices, supply chains and local employment.
Dragon Security & Electrical Ltd is not involved in these developments. However, the investment highlights an important issue for developers, landlords, tenants and facilities managers.
Security should be planned before occupation, not added after problems occur.
Why security planning should start early
New industrial units may look complete when the building work finishes. Security planning is not complete simply because doors, shutters and lighting have been installed.
The final security design must consider:
- How people enter and leave the site.
- How vehicles move through service yards.
- Where stock, tools and equipment will be stored.
- Which areas need restricted access.
- How alarms will report an incident.
- How CCTV footage will be reviewed.
- How fire and electrical systems will be tested.
- How the site will be maintained after handover.
Planning these requirements during design and fit-out can reduce cable routes, equipment changes and remedial works later. It can also prevent disruption when units are already occupied.
A suitable system must protect the building without creating unnecessary barriers for staff, tenants, visitors or emergency services.
1. Plan CCTV coverage before walls and ceilings are finished
CCTV installation is easier when cable routes, network points and equipment locations are agreed early.
A commercial CCTV design should assess more than the front entrance. Industrial units may also require coverage of:
- Main entrances and reception areas.
- Roller shutter doors and loading bays.
- Service yards and vehicle gates.
- Car parks and pedestrian routes.
- Blind sides and rear elevations.
- Shared access roads.
- Plant rooms and external equipment.
- Internal storage and high-value areas.
The purpose of each camera should be clear. Some cameras may be intended to identify people. Others may monitor vehicle movements, deliveries or general activity.
Camera position, lighting and image quality must work together. A poorly positioned camera can produce unusable footage, even if the equipment has a high resolution.
The design should also include:
- Suitable recording capacity.
- Secure equipment locations.
- User permissions.
- Remote viewing where required.
- Data retention arrangements.
- Clear responsibility for reviewing footage.
- Maintenance access.
Businesses should also consider privacy. Cameras must be positioned for a legitimate security purpose and managed in line with applicable data-protection responsibilities.
Find out more about Dragon’s CCTV installation and maintenance services.
2. Protect each unit with a suitable intruder alarm
Business security alarms should be designed around the layout and use of each unit.
A warehouse may need protection for multiple doors, offices, storage areas and plant rooms. A small workshop may require a simpler system. Shared buildings may need separate alarm areas for individual tenants.
The design should identify:
- External doors and roller shutters.
- Windows and vulnerable openings.
- Internal movement zones.
- Server, communications and plant rooms.
- High-value storage areas.
- Shared corridors and common areas.
- Areas that remain occupied outside normal hours.
The system should also account for how the premises operate. A tenant may need to unset one area while another remains protected. Cleaning teams, contractors and managers may require controlled access at specific times.
Mobile notifications can help authorised users respond quickly to events. Remote monitoring can provide an additional response when no one is present. The correct option depends on the site, risk profile, insurer requirements and response arrangements.
Do not assume that one alarm arrangement will suit every unit on an estate. A multi-unit development needs a clear approach to ownership, user access, maintenance and fault reporting.
3. Use access control to manage people, not just doors
Keys create avoidable risks on multi-tenant commercial sites.
Keys can be copied, lost or retained by former employees and contractors. Access control systems provide a more manageable alternative.
A Paxton access control system can be designed for individual doors or multiple buildings. Users can be issued with cards, fobs or other approved credentials. Permissions can then be assigned by:
- Person.
- Door.
- Time.
- Building.
- Tenant.
- Contractor.
- Area.
If someone leaves a business, their access can be removed without replacing every lock. If a credential is lost, it can be cancelled. Event records can also help facilities managers understand when controlled doors were used.
Access control is particularly useful for:
- Main entrances.
- Internal offices.
- Shared stores.
- Plant rooms.
- Server rooms.
- Restricted production areas.
- Communal facilities.
- Vehicle and pedestrian gates.
Controlled doors must not compromise safe escape. The design must consider the building’s fire strategy, evacuation arrangements and any connection to fire alarm or automatic door systems.
Review Dragon’s access control systems for commercial premises.
4. Secure service yards and external areas
External areas are often overlooked during the planning stage.
A service yard can contain vehicles, materials, waste equipment, fuel, tools and deliveries. It may also provide a route to doors that are less visible from the main road.
Security planning should consider:
- Vehicle gates and pedestrian gates.
- Boundary fencing.
- Lighting levels.
- Delivery access.
- Out-of-hours vehicle movements.
- CCTV views of loading areas.
- Intercom or controlled entry.
- Lockable compounds.
- Waste and recycling areas.
- Protection for external plant.
Security measures should support normal business activity. A delivery gate that is difficult to operate may encourage staff to leave it open. A poorly lit route may increase both security and safety risks.
Coordinate CCTV, lighting, fencing, access control and alarm detection as one system. Avoid designing each item separately.
5. Agree key and credential management
A new development may have several groups requiring access:
- Landlords.
- Tenants.
- Managing agents.
- Maintenance contractors.
- Cleaning teams.
- Security engineers.
- Delivery drivers.
- Emergency services.
Set clear rules before occupation.
Decide who can issue keys, cards, fobs and codes. Keep a record of items issued. Remove access promptly when staff, contractors or tenants change. Do not rely on informal arrangements for shared doors or plant areas.
A written access procedure can prevent confusion. It should cover lost credentials, emergency access, temporary contractors and end-of-tenancy checks.
This process is as important as the hardware. A well-designed access control system can still be weakened by poor administration.
6. Consider remote monitoring and alarm response
A security system needs a response plan.
If an alarm activates at night, who receives the notification? Who can attend? What happens if the keyholder cannot respond? How are repeated faults handled?
Options may include:
- Mobile app notifications.
- Keyholder alerts.
- Video verification.
- Alarm Receiving Centre monitoring.
- Confirmed alarm procedures.
- Maintenance escalation.
- Multi-site reporting.
Monitoring requirements may also be influenced by insurance conditions. Businesses should confirm their insurer’s requirements before selecting equipment or agreeing a monitoring service.
Police response is not automatic. It depends on the system, the monitoring arrangements, the relevant registration requirements and current operational procedures.
Contact Dragon to discuss monitored commercial security systems.
7. Link security systems with fire safety
Security systems must work alongside fire safety arrangements.
Access-controlled doors may need to release safely during an alarm. Automatic doors may require suitable fire alarm interfaces. CCTV and intruder alarm equipment must not obstruct escape routes, fire doors or emergency access.
The design should consider:
- Fire alarm activation.
- Door release arrangements.
- Emergency overrides.
- Evacuation routes.
- Fire door operation.
- Alarm panel locations.
- System testing and documentation.
- Responsibilities between landlord and tenant.
Fire alarm systems for non-domestic premises should be designed, installed, commissioned and maintained appropriately for the building and its use. Dragon provides fire alarm services for commercial, industrial and public-sector premises, including installation, testing, monitoring and maintenance.
Explore Dragon’s fire alarm services.
8. Complete electrical testing before handover
Security equipment depends on a safe and reliable electrical installation.
Before occupation, developers and landlords should confirm that:
- Power supplies are suitable.
- Equipment is correctly isolated where required.
- Distribution boards are identified.
- Emergency lighting is tested.
- External lighting operates correctly.
- Security equipment has appropriate protection.
- Network and communications equipment is securely located.
- Inspection and testing records are complete.
Electrical defects can cause equipment failure, nuisance alarms and operational disruption. They can also create wider safety risks.
A commercial electrical contractor should coordinate with the security installer during fit-out. This avoids late changes to power supplies, containment, lighting and plant-room layouts.
Dragon provides commercial electrical installation, inspection, testing, emergency lighting and maintenance services. As a NICEIC Approved Contractor, the team supports projects from individual units to larger multi-site facilities.
View Dragon’s commercial electrical services.
9. Put planned maintenance in place from day one
Security equipment requires ongoing attention.
A maintenance plan should cover:
- CCTV cameras and recording equipment.
- Intruder alarm detectors and batteries.
- Access control readers and locks.
- Gates and controlled entrances.
- Fire alarm systems.
- Emergency lighting.
- External security lighting.
- Communications links.
- User permissions and system records.
Planned preventative maintenance can identify faults before they affect operations. It also provides clearer records for landlords, tenants, insurers and facilities managers.
Agree the maintenance responsibility before handover. Confirm which items belong to the landlord, which belong to the tenant and how shared systems will be managed.
Security for new North Wales industrial units
The reported Wales Commercial Property Fund investment shows continued demand for modern industrial and employment space across Kinmel Bay, Conwy and Bangor.
New units create opportunities for businesses. They also create a responsibility to protect people, property, stock and operations from the start.
Early security planning can help reduce:
- Retrofitting costs.
- Disruption to occupied premises.
- Duplicate equipment.
- Unplanned cable routes.
- Access-management problems.
- System compatibility issues.
- Delays at handover.
Dragon Security & Electrical Ltd supports businesses, developers, landlords and facilities managers across North Wales and beyond. We provide design support, installation, testing, maintenance, monitoring and planned preventative maintenance for commercial security and electrical systems.
For advice about CCTV installation, business security alarms, access control systems or commercial electrical work, call 01492 330330 or contact Dragon online.