Plans to expand Leicestershire’s Mercia Park have been approved, opening the door to the creation of up to 1,720 new jobs. The employment hub, located close to Junction 11 of the M42, already houses JLR’s Global Logistics Centre. Developer IM Properties submitted the hybrid planning application for the next phase of growth. The site currently supports more than 2,500 jobs and is home to JLR’s Global Logistics Centre (operated by Unipart) as well as a major facility for international logistics specialist DSV. The proposed expansion, split across two development zones, will deliver significant new commercial space and is expected to accommodate between 1,000 and 1,720 additional roles once fully operational. The scheme is also projected to generate around £2.8m per year in business rates. Development Zone 1 includes approximately 611,000 sq ft of employment space, with a further 442,000 sq ft planned for Zone 2. A report to North West Leicestershire Council’s Planning Committee, which met on 9 December, stated that the development’s contribution to economic growth and its ability to meet immediate demand for high-quality business space made it a strong fit for the area’s social and economic needs. Councillors voted to approve the plans subject to conditions. Speaking when the application was submitted, Matthew Fox, planning director at IM Properties, said that Mercia Park had proven itself as a prime business location with excellent transport links, net-zero-ready buildings and a high-quality landscaped environment. He added that expanding the site would build on its success and deliver much-needed commercial space to support investment in Leicestershire. Richard Sykes, development director at IM Properties, welcomed the committee’s decision, saying it marked a key step towards unlocking new employment opportunities and boosting the economy of North West Leicestershire. With DSV already planning an additional facility within the scheme, he said the expansion is well placed to attract another major manufacturer or logistics operator to the remaining 450,000 sq ft. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

A major industrial and logistics scheme in Worksop, covering up to 4.5 million sq ft and with the potential to create as many as 4,000 jobs, has won approval. Caddick’s hybrid planning application for the 300-acre site, positioned at the A1/A57 junction on the eastern approach to the town, was backed by Bassetlaw District Council’s Planning Committee on 10 December. Known as EM.EX Worksop, the development is the largest employment allocation in Bassetlaw’s adopted local plan. Once fully operational, it is expected to contribute £175m in GVA each year and generate £11.5m in annual business rates. Phase 1 will see Caddick deliver enabling infrastructure and prepare a fully serviced development plot, supported by detailed consent for a multi-level unit of around two million sq ft for an identified occupier. This first phase represents a significant milestone in activating the scheme, with hundreds of new roles in logistics, operations and support services set to follow. Outline permission has also been granted for the remaining phases, allowing for a further footprint of up to four million sq ft of ground-level industrial and logistics space. Across the full masterplan, the scheme has the capacity to create up to 4,000 jobs. Chris Procter, director at Caddick, said the approval was the result of years of collaboration with the local authority and positions the development to deliver on its long-term vision. He said EM.EX Worksop offers next-generation logistics space with the flexibility and connectivity required to attract both national and international companies, adding that ongoing investment would help cement Bassetlaw’s role within the UK’s industrial and logistics landscape. Construction of Phase 1 is scheduled to begin in 2026, with phased development of the wider scheme to follow, ultimately bringing forward a range of unit sizes. Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, welcomed the decision, noting that the prospect of up to 4,000 new jobs is a major boost for the region. She highlighted the importance of distribution hubs to the East Midlands economy and said the scheme will reinforce the area’s standing as a leading logistics corridor. Sally Gillborn MBE, chief executive of North Notts BID, said EM.EX Worksop represents a significant opportunity for Bassetlaw, attracting increased investment and delivering high-quality employment that will strengthen the district’s reputation as a centre for industry, innovation and logistics. The project team includes Stantec as planning consultant, KPP as architect, FPCR for landscape and biodiversity, BWB for environmental services, Brookbanks as utilities consultants, and MBA providing lighting and BREEAM expertise. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Prologis UK, a leading property developer, investor and owner, has secured planning approval for a 107,000 sq ft distribution centre at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT), the UK’s largest inland freight hub. Construction works will begin in January 2026, paving the way for DC107 to be ready for occupation from August of that year. A distinctive new building for DIRFT The rail-linked new development will use a contemporary architectural approach that pushes the boundaries of logistics design. Features include a glazed south-facing external balcony and full-width bifold doors, integrating the outdoors with the internal work environment to support placemaking and wellbeing. The building will also target EPC A+ and BREEAM Outstanding. Enhanced Fit-Out for speed and efficiency Built on a speculative basis, DIRFT DC107 will include LED lighting and fire alarm systems alongside optimised racking options that can be provided by Prologis Essentials. Launched in 2025, Prologis’ Enhanced Fit-Out programme offers market leading “ready-to-operate” logistics facilities, saving customers time and money on design and installation of key high-level and long lead time elements. Building off the success of the enhanced fit-out campaign delivered during 2025, DC107 will come ready to operate from day one. Digital connectivity built in from day one DC107 will include high-quality, resilient digital infrastructure to support robust and scalable connectivity. Targeting WiredScore Gold, with Wi-Fi installed from day one, customers can plug and play immediately, helping save valuable operational time. This new approach aligns with Prologis UK’s commitment to improving and streamlining the customer experience for businesses of all sectors and sizes. James Hemstock, Vice President Capital Deployment at Prologis UK, said: “At just over 100,000 sq ft this unit’s size is quite a rarity at DIRFT, and offers the market a distinctive proposition. With a clear focus on developing logistics real estate in the most desirable locations, Prologis aims to meet growing demand and changing industry needs. The wide range of customers at DIRFT shows that the site offers a best-in-class logistics location for businesses needing to reach every corner of the UK efficiently and we anticipate that this new development will generate a high level of interest.” Design approach DC107 is a modern logistics facility designed by Stephen George + Partners (SGP) on behalf of Prologis UK. Tariq Khan, Studio Director at SGP, said: “This unit represents contemporary logistics design, where future proofing functionality, architectural quality and customer experience work hand in hand. Our approach focused on creating a building that not only performs efficiently but also enhances everyday wellbeing, with features helping to elevate the overall working environment.” DIRFT’s strategic location With three build-to-suit projects on site and further infrastructure being delivered, DC107 will complete the northern gateway to DIRFT with a statement building. DIRFT is strategically positioned at the UK’s centre of logistics (M1/M6/A14), with the added benefit of three on-site rail freight terminals. Recent leases at DIRFT include a 1.3 million sq. ft. build to suit development for M&S and a 327,689 sq. ft speculative unit for GXO. Paul Weston, Regional Head of Prologis UK, said: “This has been an exceptional year for DIRFT. With construction and planning progressing well across the remainder of Phase III, DC107 marks our first speculative development onsite for some time and is our only available building at the park. We’re planning on bringing more positive news to the market in 2026 as we build on our strong momentum.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Private equity real estate investor Paloma Capital and its development partner Graftongate have announced the pre-let of the first unit at Bedford Trade Park, a new £25 million trade and mid-box scheme on the Elm Farm Industrial Estate. Aetna UK has signed for Unit 300, a 24,886 sq ft development fronting Caxton Road, which will be occupied by its end-of-line packaging machinery brand, Robopac. The new scheme comprising 10 Grade A industrial and trade units ranging from 3,663–41,711 sq ft will be built to a modern, energy-efficient specification, targeting EPC A+ and BREEAM Excellent. Each unit can be taken individually or combined, offering flexibility to meet a wide range of occupier requirements. Detailed planning consent has been secured and construction is scheduled to commence in Q1 2026 with occupation available from Q3 2026. Further pre-let interest is being sought on units of up to 42,000 sq ft. Unit 300 will include a state-of-the-art Tech Lab, inspired by the Aetna Group TechLab in Italy. The facility will allow products to be tested and refined for wrapping quality and load stability, and will be fully connected to the Group’s global network of TechLabs. A spokesperson for Aetna UK said that the new premises will strengthen its long-term commitment to the UK market and enhance services for customers nationwide. They added: “This investment ensures we can deliver faster support, greater technical capability, and an improved customer experience. The facility will expand parts availability and engineering resources, and provide modern spaces for demonstrations, trials and training, reinforcing Aetna UK’s focus on delivering world-class end-of-line packaging solutions.” Tim Harding of Colliers who advised Paloma and Graftongate on the transaction said: “This pre-let represents a fantastic example of investment from an existing Bedfordshire-based occupier in the local economy to support their long-term growth ambitions. The remainder of the forthcoming scheme will provide much needed Grade A stock in the supply starved Bedford market.” Situated on a 5.77-acre plot, Bedford Trade Park benefits from a prominent roadside location adjacent to the A4280 dual carriageway. It has excellent transport links, lying c.six miles from the A1 and 15 miles from Junction 13 of the M1, and offers a direct rail connection to St Pancras International via Bedford Station. The development marks the fourth collaboration between Paloma Capital and Graftongate, following Banbury 200, Exeter Trade Park, and Urban Logistics, Tottenham. For more information about Bedford Trade Park, contact joint letting agents Colliers and Cushman & Wakefield. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Hortons has strengthened its Midlands portfolio with the acquisition of a 12.8-acre, fully-let research, development and manufacturing facility in Leamington Spa. The campus-style development, located off the A425 Southam Road at Radford Semele, comprises 132,569 sq ft across three buildings, including a manufacturing facility, a hi-tech warehouse unit and an office building. The site is let to UK-based engineering consultancy Ricardo plc on a long-term lease. Ricardo, which was recently acquired by global professional services firm WSP, has occupied the campus for more than 25 years and has made significant ongoing investment in the premises, including a comprehensive ESG-focused upgrade programme. The acquisition supports Hortons’ strategy of broadening its geographical footprint and sector exposure, and follows several recent industrial/logistics acquisitions across the Midlands. Steve Benson, chief executive of Hortons, said: “Securing this high quality, long established site represents another important step in diversifying our portfolio, both geographically and by sector. Ricardo is a long-standing and well invested occupier, and we look forward to supporting their continued presence on the estate, as well as exploring opportunities to enhance the facility further.” Hortons was advised by Atlas Real Estate and Gateley. James Madill, real estate partner at Gateley Legal, led the transaction alongside real estate solicitor Amanda Matyjaszczyk. He commented: “It’s really encouraging to see the completion of this significant acquisition — the second in a short period of time — as we continue our long standing relationship with Hortons. “Gateley delivered multi-disciplinary advice on a range of real estate, construction, tax and planning matters, as well as GIS support from Gateley Hamer. This acquisition was completed to an accelerated timetable and was a real team effort from all involved.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Tritax Big Box Developments (TBBD) has submitted a planning application to bring forward the next phase of development at Symmetry Park Rugby.  The 1.4 million sq ft hybrid application includes a detailed proposal for a 300,000 sq ft logistics unit and the creation of Cawston Landscape Park (CLP), a 20-acre green space featuring new footpaths linked to existing public rights of way, communal orchards with edible planting, and levelled areas for informal sports and play. Symmetry Park is already home to Iron Mountain, which occupies 1 million sq ft. This initial commitment in 2022 marked the launch of its first UK campus to offer a wide range of services.  In July this year, TBBD completed the letting of unit 5, a speculatively built 391,000 sq ft facility to a data management company on a 15-year lease.  Two further speculatively developed facilities remain available comprising 338,064 sq ft (unit 6) and 170,473 sq ft (unit 7) on a leasehold basis. The buildings have been built to net-zero carbon in construction standards and have a BREEAM “Excellent” and EPC A+ rating. Joseph Skinner, development director at TBBD, explained: “Located at the heart of the logistics Golden Triangle, Rugby represents an established major distribution and manufacturing location. Organisations who choose to be based here can benefit from access to a highly skilled work force, as well as access to major infrastructure routes. The creation of the new park will provide addional amenities to the public and we look forward in working in partnership with local stakeholders to bring this forward.  “With Iron Mountain already operating here and strong occupational market demand, we believe it is the opportune time to bring forward this next phase. Subject to planning approval, the site will be developed on a speculative / design and build basis with units up to 1 million sq ft available.”  The site forms part of the wider South West Rugby Urban Extension which will also add 5,000 new homes, bringing forward further labour and amenity benefits. The project team includes Framptons Town Planning (Planning Consultants), EDP (Ecology and Landscaping), Stantec (Highways and Transport), Tier Consult (Civil and Structural Engineers), Rider Levitt Bucknall (Project Manager), McBains (Quantity Surveyor), Ridge (BREEAM), Basepower (Utilites) and MBA (M&E). Colliers International & ILP Partners are letting agents for Rugby. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

£340M Investment Plans Submitted To Durham County Council Citrus Durham has submitted plans for the next £340M phase of development at its Integra 61 mixed-use development at J61 of the A1(M). Following a recent public consultation process, an outline planning application has been submitted to Durham County Council to create an extension to the west of the Integra 61 scheme to accommodate a further 3 million sq ft of employment space. The first phase of the existing £400M Integra 61 development, which includes 3m sq ft of developable space, is already 90% complete and the major investment into the second phase could see some 300 new jobs being created in the North East throughout the build and operational stages. The planning application details proposals for a range of storage/distribution and manufacturing units of varying sizes, to reflect market demand from regional businesses as well as those looking to invest in premises in the region. The submitted application is in outline, which seeks to secure the fundamental development principles of bringing a scheme forward at this stage, latter reserved matters applications will evolve the exact design and scale which will all have to be within the principles sought to be established now. The new development in its latter stages would require the delivery of the Bowburn Development Route (relief road) in conjunction with Durham County Council. Integra 61 is already home to Amazon’s 2m sq ft fulfilment centre, a further 640,000 sq ft of speculative logistics space at Connect at Integra 61 and an impressive roadside portfolio including Costa and Greggs along with an incoming £4 million EG On The Move petrol station with a convenience store and separate Starbucks drive-thru. Tesla has also installed 19 new Superchargers on site. Construction is well underway on Marton Care’s new 73 bedroom care home facility to complement the 260 new homes already developed by Persimmon and Bellway. James Taylor, Regional Director at Citrus, said: “We are delighted to have now submitted this significant planning application for the second phase of Integra 61, building on the success of phase one and firmly establishing Integra as a premier business location in the region. Securing planning consent is an important early stage in the journey to bringing this phase to fruition and we look forward to working with all stakeholders during this process.”  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Construction is advancing at pace at Panattoni Park in Swindon, with McLaren Construction (Midlands & North) firmly on track to deliver the landmark 545,000 sq. ft. logistics and industrial scheme within the 39-week programme. McLaren is delivering the speculative design and build contract on behalf of Panattoni, supported by UMC Architects, KAM Project Consultants, BWB Consulting and Construction CDM Services. The project continues to hit key milestones of the 39-construction week schedule, and the steel frame is now complete, the internal roof largely finished, windows are being installed, and cladding installation is progressing steadily. Roofing works are well advanced with lining sheets due for completion, and externally, concrete slab works are underway, the multi-story car park deck is poured, kerbs are being installed, alongside power and water service installations. The office area is fully glazed and cladding of the striking link bridge – connecting the main building to the multi-storey car park – is now taking place. First-fix mechanical and electrical services have begun within the warehouse, and internal finishes and the office fit-out is progressing well. On completion, the development will offer premier logistics space with two storeys of high-spec office accommodation and a decked car park. The scheme is targeting BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ and EPC A+/A ratings, with a commitment to achieving net zero upfront carbon emissions. Historically, the site was used as brownfield land before being an airfield during World War II, and then later it was redeveloped for car manufacturing by Honda in the late 20th century. This regeneration is part of Panattoni’s wider plan to bring new life and jobs to the area following the closure of Honda’s operations in 2021. Luke Arnold, Regional Director at McLaren Midlands & North, said: “We’re proud to be delivering this project at pace and to such a high standard. This is a flagship scheme, not only for Panattoni but for the wider region, and our team is focused on maintaining momentum right through to completion in early 2026.” Panattoni Park Swindon is poised to deliver high-quality industrial space in a location with excellent connectivity and legacy infrastructure, further strengthening Swindon’s position as a key logistics hub in the South West. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Clowes Developments has unveiled plans for a major expansion at Dove Valley Park in Foston, Derbyshire, with proposals submitted for two new industrial units totalling 542,000 square feet on Plot 11. The scheme is being brought forward for an as yet undisclosed occupier, underlining continued demand for large-scale logistics and industrial space in the region. Earthworks on the site are already progressing under an existing consent, preparing the ground so construction can move ahead swiftly once planning approval is granted by South Derbyshire District Council. Marc Freeman, development director at Clowes Developments, said the move reflects sustained occupier interest in the park. He commented: “Dove Valley Park continues to attract strong interest from a range of high-profile national and international operators. This planning submission for two units totalling over half a million square feet demonstrates our ongoing confidence in the site and its strategic location. We look forward to progressing the application with South Derbyshire District Council.” Alongside the new units, Clowes has also submitted a revised proposal for the planned Innovation Centre at Dove Valley Park. Designed to act as a central hub for businesses on and around the site, the centre will offer meeting and gathering space, a café/restaurant and wider amenity areas. It will also provide a base for start-up companies and is being developed in consultation with the University of Derby, supporting enterprise and collaboration across the local business community. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals