Pall-Ex has secured planning permission for a new headquarters and flagship distribution hub in Bardon, Leicestershire, following approval by Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council. The £80m Centre of Excellence will anchor the pallet network’s UK and European operations and is positioned to become a benchmark scheme for the sector.
Set across 14.2 hectares, the development totals 408,000 sq ft of floorspace with an additional 100,000 sq ft canopy for weather-protected cross-dock operations. Barberry Developments, which agreed a pre-let with Pall-Ex earlier this year, is bringing forward the scheme as a next-generation logistics platform combining capacity, speed and high environmental performance.
The building is designed to achieve EPC A+ and BREEAM Excellent ratings and is claimed to be the UK pallet network’s first purpose-built facility designed to be energy self-sufficient, enabling carbon net-zero operation in use. The campus plan also includes a staff welfare zone with a football pitch, basketball court and clubhouse to support recruitment and retention.
Jonathan Robinson, director at Barberry Developments, said: “We are thrilled to announce that, having earlier this year secured a pre-let agreement with Pall-Ex to deliver the company’s new national Centre of Excellence in Leicestershire, we have now achieved planning consent. Our development is key to the region and will create around 500 construction jobs and an estimated 534 permanent jobs, business rates for the local authority and economic growth for local businesses and the community. Working closely with Pall-Ex, we will create a new national palletised freight distribution centre that will deliver new ESG credentials, carbon net zero in occupation, staff welfare recreation zone incorporating football pitch, basketball court, club house, helping attract and retain staff while providing Pall-Ex with the operational excellence that will make the business stand out amongst its UK competitors.”
The scheme will sit by established Midlands logistics infrastructure, enhancing Pall-Ex’s network efficiency while consolidating management functions on one site. A main contractor has yet to be appointed and no shortlist has been announced, with procurement and programme details to follow.
For Building Design & Construction readers, the project signals several live themes in UK logistics property: electrification and onsite generation to reduce operational carbon, welfare-led site planning, and large-span, weather-protected canopies to drive cross-dock productivity and resilience.
Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
