Work is on schedule at the £54million Glass Futures Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens with the steelwork structure now completed. Contractors Bowmer + Kirkland, who started on site in January, say the next phase of the scheme is already underway with the cladding and external elevations expected to
Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has submitted a planning application for one of the largest speculative logistics facilities in South Yorkshire. The application is for a 417,570 sq ft facility, called Panattoni Doncaster 420, next to Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Panattoni acquired the 18.4-acre site with outline
Commercial real estate investor and developer, Firethorn Trust, has now completed work at Ascent Logistics Park, with three units let to occupiers. The 25.5-acre industrial development in Leighton Buzzard has been constructed to net-zero carbon and comprises eight highly specified units, offering 466,860 sq. ft. of Grade A logistics accommodation.
Ground has been broken on the development being marketed as Parallel 113 with the Grade A specification warehouse logistics unit expected to be complete and available by January 2023. St Francis Group a leading UK-based property development and investment group, and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration, today announced
Aver, a joint venture between NFU Mutual and Ergo Real Estate, has agreed to fund the development of 330,000 sq ft at Novus Point on a speculative basis. The agreement to fund 330,000 sq ft of logistics space at Novus Point in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire will increase Aver’s logistics portfolio to
One of Europe’s largest new logistics development sites, West Midlands Interchange (WMI), the 734 acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) at M6 Junction 12, has appointed Winvic Construction Ltd as its design stage delivery partner. The £1bn project will offer over 8m sq ft of commercial space, with state of
Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses has today announced that it has been appointed by St George, a leading mixed-use developer and member of the Berkeley Group, and SEGRO, a leading owner and developer of warehouse space to construct their first
Instruction will see the design and build of four new industrial units ranging in size from 16,558 to 43,487 sq ft at St Modwen Park Newport. Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses has today announced that it has been appointed by leading logistics developer
Leading Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has announced the completion of a new light manufacturing facility on Hamilton Way, Oakham Business Park, Mansfield. The £10million scheme sees the construction of a two-storey facility and basement space for a UK leading aerospace manufacturer based in the East Midlands. The 80,000 sq
Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has acquired a 22-acre site in an established industrial location in West Sussex for a last-mile logistics development. The site, which Panattoni has just acquired is located at Burgess Hill, fronting the A2300 dual carriageway and providing fast access to the
Work is on schedule at the £54million Glass Futures Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens with the steelwork structure now completed. Contractors Bowmer + Kirkland, who started on site in January, say the next phase of the scheme is already underway with the cladding and external elevations expected to be completed on the 165,000 sq. ft facility by the end of the summer. B+K’s work on the scheme is expected to complete in January 2023, ready for fit-out by Glass Futures. The facility has been pre-let to St Helens Borough Council on a 15-year head lease and will be sub-let to Glass Futures which will occupy and manage the building to deliver industry and government backed research and development projects focused on decarbonising glass production. It will also provide a platform for the industry to access an experimental scale furnace to test and run trials for implementation at commercial scale on a state-of-the-art line, both collaboratively and individually. Delivery of the project was conceived and is being managed by landowner and developer Network Space Developments (NSD), on behalf of a partnership including not-for-profit research organisation Glass Futures , St Helens Borough Council, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and UKRI (UK Research & Innovation). NSD will continue to manage the delivery of the project through to practical completion. Earlier this year the building was presold by NSD to global investor Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust, part of abrdn, to secure forward funding and conclude a viable delivery strategy. Catherine Chilvers, Development Director at Network Space, said: “We’re delighted with the progress so far on site with a completion date of January 2023 still very much in our sights. The outline structure of the facility is now visible and symbolises the scale and ambition of both St Helens Council and the Glass Futures project to bring significant investment and skilled jobs back into St Helens and the wider Liverpool City Region economy. She added: “None of this would have been possible without the exceptional partnership formed between NSD, Glass Futures, St Helens Borough Council, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and UKRI. The partnership is proud to see the noticeable progress being made on site following the tremendous efforts to achieve this key milestone.” David Baker, Project Manager on the Glass Futures’ site for B+K said:“We’re making significant progress on site with the steel frame now completed and roofing works commenced. The B+K team is proud to be part of this iconic build for St Helens and its future role in glass manufacturing and development in the area. The scheme is transformational in every sense, not just for the town but also for its future contribution towards zero carbon production in the global glass industry.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has submitted a planning application for one of the largest speculative logistics facilities in South Yorkshire. The application is for a 417,570 sq ft facility, called Panattoni Doncaster 420, next to Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Panattoni acquired the 18.4-acre site with outline planning consent from Peel L&P in March. Panattoni Doncaster 420 will be built to BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC ‘A’ ratings with many sustainability features, such as electric vehicle charging points and 15% roof lights. It also will benefit from 15m clear internal height, 34 dock doors, three level access doors, a 50m yard with parking for 74 HGVs and up to 1.5 MVa of power. Panattoni is aiming to start construction later this year with completion in the third quarter of 2023. Connecting the motorway network, air cargo, and multi-modal rail freight via iPort nearby, Panattoni Doncaster 420 will provide access to both consumer and industrial markets across the UK and the world. Doncaster Sheffield Airport is one of the UK’s fastest growing airports, expanding by 13% over the past five years and connecting to 36 destinations in 15 countries. Dan Burn, Development Director at Panattoni, said: “This is a superb logistics site with direct access to local, regional and global markets. Our planning application has been submitted just six weeks after we acquired the site, which reflects our desire and ability to bring much needed speculative development forward as quickly as possible”. CPP and Colliers International have been appointed as letting agents alongside Burbage Realty.
Commercial real estate investor and developer, Firethorn Trust, has now completed work at Ascent Logistics Park, with three units let to occupiers. The 25.5-acre industrial development in Leighton Buzzard has been constructed to net-zero carbon and comprises eight highly specified units, offering 466,860 sq. ft. of Grade A logistics accommodation. Ascent’s largest warehouse, spanning 125,510 sq. ft., will be accommodated by e-commerce experts Spreetail, whilst the fulfilment house Airbox UK Ltd has taken an 85,480 sq. ft. unit, and children’s product specialists, Solution EU, will occupy a 35,583 sq. ft. space. The development has been accredited by the UK Green Building Council for its net-zero construction, which was delivered by Winvic Construction Ltd. Designed to attract a diverse range of occupiers, Ascent is set to create approximately 150 jobs and bring significant economic benefits to the wider region. Chris Webb, Partner at Firethorn Trust, said: “This is an exciting milestone for Firethorn, as we continue to meet the growing market demand for modern Grade A logistics spaces. Ascent is a bold and ambitious development, with sustainability and employee wellbeing placed at the heart of its design. As a responsible developer, we’re committed to ensuring that all Firethorn developments meet the highest sustainability criteria, and Ascent is designed to support both the immediate operational needs and future ESG requirements of every business.” Chris Beer, Asset Manager at Firethorn Trust, said: “We’re delighted to have already let three of the eight units, with an additional space currently under offer. Occupiers will benefit from market-leading renewable technologies, high-quality specification and excellent connectivity.” Mehmet Kalay, CEO, EU at Spreetail said: “Spreetail is one of the fastest-growing ecommerce companies in history and we are excited to continue our expansion by launching in the UK. Joining the Leighton Buzzard community aligns with our mission of accelerating brands and channels by providing the best service and shipping capabilities for our online customers. We appreciate our partnership with Firethorn, which enabled our team to achieve our growth goals by efficiently executing a lease in a new country.” Jeremy Tan, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Airbox UK Ltd said: “We are delighted to be taking occupation of Ascent 86. The scheme’s net-carbon construction aligns well with our drive for sustainable fulfilment and will play a huge role in the next stage of Airbox’s expansion. It was refreshing to see Firethorn’s desire to form a personal and long-term partnership and we look forward to continuing working together on future potential projects.” David Watts, Operations Manager at Solution EU said: “We’re so pleased to be establishing a new Headquarters at Ascent Logistics Park. The scheme’s specification and location will allow us to expand and improve our operations and provide our industry knowledge and technical expertise to new customers, which is key to our continued growth as a business.” Strategically located off the Leighton Road, Ascent Logistics Park offers excellent connectivity to London Luton airport, Milton Keynes Central station and the M1/M25 motorways, which lie within a 30-minute drive time. All enquiries regarding Ascent Logistics Park should be directed to the scheme’s retained agents, Knight Frank and Brasier Freeth. For more information, visit www.ascentlogisticspark.co.uk Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Ground has been broken on the development being marketed as Parallel 113 with the Grade A specification warehouse logistics unit expected to be complete and available by January 2023. St Francis Group a leading UK-based property development and investment group, and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration, today announced that it has broken ground and commenced construction of a new 113,000 sq ft unit – branded as Parallel 113 – being developed speculatively in Walsall. Parallel 113 will create a high-quality warehouse/logistics unit which will be available for occupation from January 2023. The development will remediate a brownfield site of just over 2.5 hectares close to Junction 10 of the M6 which is currently undergoing a £78 million enhancement by Highways England to increase capacity and reduce congestion. When occupied the scheme will provide up to 200 new jobs. MCS Construction has been appointed as the main building contractor. St Francis Group also acknowledges the support of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council in bringing this development forward. Speaking about the start of construction St Francis Group Development Director Gareth Williams said: “We are delighted to be on site with the construction of another high-quality unit, and to be developing in such a prominent location adjoining the M6 motorway. There remains a distinct shortage of warehouse/industrial space across the Midlands and now that we have started on site, we expect a high level of interest from potential occupiers. The new unit will be extremely well connected being just under a mile from junction 9 of the M6, offering unrivalled connectivity and built to a high specification. We look forward to watching construction as it happens and seeing the progress on site” Also Speaking about the project, MCS Group Managing Director, Keir Edmonds said: “MCS are pleased to continue their partnership with St Francis Group to deliver premium industrial space in the West Midlands. The project demonstrates how brownfield sites can be remediated utilising ground improvement techniques and put back into use, whilst retaining and enhancing the local environment and ecology.” For further information visit: www.parallel113.co.uk Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Aver, a joint venture between NFU Mutual and Ergo Real Estate, has agreed to fund the development of 330,000 sq ft at Novus Point on a speculative basis. The agreement to fund 330,000 sq ft of logistics space at Novus Point in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire will increase Aver’s logistics portfolio to 2.5 million square feet. Martin Jepson, Founding Partner at Ergo Real Estate commented: “We are delighted to be working with investment and development company Cole Waterhouse and Peveril Securities on what promises to be an impressive scheme which adds another strategic development to our growing logistics platform.” Outline planning consent was granted unanimously in July 2020 for the development of a 15-acre light industrial scheme and a reserved matters application has now been submitted for the single build facility. Once a decision is made on the application, work is scheduled to start on site in April with practical completion due for December 2022. The project team includes MHA Architects, Lichfields, Renaissance, Henry Riley and Novo. Located off the A34 and close to the M6 motorway, Novus Point forms an extension to the well-established Lymedale Business Park. The development will support over 130 full-time employees during construction and approximately 500 full-time roles once the site is in operation. Speaking about the agreement, Damian Flood, CEO at Cole Waterhouse, commented: “There is a strong appetite from institutional funds looking to invest in potentially high-yielding, long-term income-producing assets, offering a secure return for their investors. Staffordshire acts as a gateway between the north and south and, as such, is already an established distribution location with ASDA, New Look, Parcelforce and TK Maxx all based here. These factors made the decision to build speculatively relatively straightforward.” Ralph Jones, Managing Director at Peveril Securities, continued: “This is a significant step forward in the development of Novus Point, made possible by the collaborative way in which all stakeholders have worked together. Securing Aver as a funding partner further strengthens our ability to deliver the scheme and, subject to a positive planning outcome, we look forward to building out this new facility next year.” Metis Real Estate advised Cole Waterhouse and Peveril Securities on the funding deal with Sixteen Real Estate acting as the marketing agent for the scheme. Burbage Realty represented Aver. Novus Point is projected to generate up to £37.3million GVA for the local economy. In addition to the creation of permanent jobs through the operation of the industrial units, it is anticipated that around 144 construction and 169 supply chain jobs will be supported during the two-year build programme with a total investment in the region of £19.9m. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
One of Europe’s largest new logistics development sites, West Midlands Interchange (WMI), the 734 acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) at M6 Junction 12, has appointed Winvic Construction Ltd as its design stage delivery partner. The £1bn project will offer over 8m sq ft of commercial space, with state of the art units ranging from 200,000 to 1.2m sq ft, all supported by its own dedicated rail hub enabling multi-modal movement of goods around the UK. The Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) role is the first of four phases of the development programme, followed by early enabling works, infrastructure works and vertical unit delivery. The site is one of a number of new SRFIs around the UK designed to enable occupiers to move increasing volumes of freight off our roads onto the rail network, with one rail freight carriage capable of replacing 44 to 72 HGV, and generating up to 70% less carbon. The site also boasts a range of other sustainability credentials, including providing 109 acres of country park to protect and promote biodiversity, and a wide range of renewable energy features, as well as providing 8,500 new jobs for the region during its development, construction and operation. The project is being financed and delivered by Oxford Properties, the property arm of Canadian pension fund OMERS, in partnership with European developer Logistics Capital Partners (LCP), who are already working on a 15 acre scheme at Heathrow together. They acquired the WMI site in July 2021. Andy Busby, UK Construction Director at LCP commented on this key milestone for the project; “We are pleased to welcome Winvic to the delivery team. They bring extensive experience of constructing large-scale complex logistics projects like this, and demonstrated a clear understanding of the leading approach we want to take to sustainable design, cutting edge automation, and lasting economic and social impact for the region. James Boadle, Head of Logistics and Residential, Europe at Oxford Properties, commented; It’s an important milestone for the project as we begin delivery in earnest, having spent Q3 and Q4 of 2021 preparing the site and building a collaborative approach with key partners including the local community, South Staffordshire District Council and Staffordshire County Council. With huge demand in the logistics market, we are keen to have a first offering ready in 2023.” Rob Cook, Winvic’s Director of Civils and Infrastructure added; “We’re thrilled that Oxford Properties and LCP values Winvic’s sustainability credentials and experience in designing and constructing similar schemes, as well as our commitment to community and stakeholder collaboration. As the leading main contractor in the UK for delivering complex Strategic Rail freight Interchange (SRFI) projects, we’re able to draw on our extensive project knowledge and assemble a skilful team to meet requirements, find innovative efficiencies and ultimately deliver the design stage output in a considered and forward-thinking way.” For more information on the project visit www.westmidlandsinterchange.co.uk Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses has today announced that it has been appointed by St George, a leading mixed-use developer and member of the Berkeley Group, and SEGRO, a leading owner and developer of warehouse space to construct their first multi storey industrial development in the London Borough of Brent. The development, to be called SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, will provide 134,500 sq ft of flexible light industrial space over six storeys and is an innovative new concept for delivering multi-storey light industrial property and is designed to maximise employment space and accessibility on the 1.7-acre plot and support up to 500 jobs and apprenticeships. The concept fully supports the aspirations in the GLA’s new London Plan to intensify industrial land, delivering jobs and homes as part of the regeneration of a wider brownfield site. It forms part of Grand Union, a new canal-side destination which is being delivered by St George. The 22-acre former derelict Northfields Industrial Estate is being transformed into a vibrant new mixed-use neighbourhood in Alperton compromising 3,350 homes, 35% of which is affordable with the first residents already moved in, delivering much needed homes and jobs to the London Borough of Brent. Grand Union will provide 10.2 acres of publicly accessible landscaped gardens, a net biodiversity gain of 240%, community centre, health centre, local supermarket and a range of onsite amenities. The new neighbourhood will also open up previously inaccessible parts of the Grand Union Canal and River Brent to the local community, creating improved routes around Grand Union and to nearby Stonebridge Park Station. Within SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, the ground and first floors will be utilised to provide over 100 parking spaces, with electric vehicle charging points also being incorporated. The flexible industrial space is arranged over four upper levels which can be configured for individual units offering a range of sizes, supported by shared meeting rooms, breakout areas and wellness spaces, including a green roof terrace. The development will incorporate sustainability features such as photovoltaic cells and an internal green wall. Construction is expected to begin in Summer 2022. SEGRO V-Park Grand Union expands SEGRO’s footprint in North West London. It is located close to Tudor Estate and Premier Park at Park Royal and will front onto the North Circular (A406), providing excellent connectivity to the M1 and M25. Commenting on the appointment Glencar Managing Director Eddie McGillycuddy said: “As the first multi storey logistics development of its kind to be developed in London and the UK more generally we are absolutely delighted to be appointed by St George and SEGRO to deliver this ground-breaking development. Glencar are working on an increasing number of urban logistics development projects right across London and the south as the strong pent-up demand for last-mile fulfilment coupled with the ongoing challenges of land supply continue to be driving factors. The six storey, multi-floor unit is a highly innovative concept in terms of the way the building functions and how the employment space is used. We are very much looking forward to working with St George, SEGRO and the full project team to bring this fantastic design to life and seeing it in action.” Also commenting Piers Clanford, Chairman St George Plc, said: “Grand Union has been carefully designed with the local community and the London Borough of Brent to create an exciting new canal side neighbourhood, delivering high quality homes and job opportunities together with offering a wealth of community amenities from the outset. SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is a key part of the redevelopment of this complex brownfield regeneration site, delivering even further opportunity for job creation, aligning with the Borough of Brent and the GLA’s ambitions. We look forward to working with SEGRO and Glencar on this exciting project.” Alan Holland, Managing Director, Greater London at SEGRO, said: “SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is a new model for delivering much-needed light industrial space as part of mixed-use communities. We are strong advocates for multi-storey warehousing in some urban settings given the pressure on land supply and the need to create space that supports different types of employment. We have successfully delivered multi-storey logistics at scale in Paris and now have the opportunity at Grand Union to adapt this format for a smaller urban site. “This regeneration project is a template for how to revitalise under-utilised industrial land to deliver much needed housing and jobs and we look forward to working with the GLA, London Borough of Brent, St George and Glencar to bring forward these exciting plans”
Instruction will see the design and build of four new industrial units ranging in size from 16,558 to 43,487 sq ft at St Modwen Park Newport. Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses has today announced that it has been appointed by leading logistics developer and manager St Modwen Logistics to construct four new industrial units at St Modwen Park Newport. This phase of development totals 115,000 sq ft, with units ranging in size from 16,558 sq ft to 43,487 sq ft and is designed in accordance with the St. Modwen Swan Standard which focuses on sustainability, net carbon reduction and health and wellbeing. Each individual unit will achieve EPC A and BREEAM Very Good ratings, as a minimum through the inclusion of photovoltaic solar system, hybrid air source heat pumps, electric vehicle charging and recycled materials. In addition, St. Modwen Park Newport has been designed with a key focus on promoting health and wellbeing in accordance with the St. Modwen Park Code. Fitness trails, amenity space and structured landscapes are all included in the wider development as standard. Richard Carter Construction Director St Modwen Logistics said: “St. Modwen Park Newport is a key strategic gateway site, where 213,000 sq ft of sustainable warehouse space is already complete. This 100-acre business park is designed to St. Modwen’s Swan Standard which offers enhancements across five key areas: environment and sustainability, wellbeing, community, transport, and security. We are pleased to appoint Glencar to deliver this project and build high quality, innovative buildings to our Swan Standard.” Also speaking about the appointment Glencar Managing Director Eddie McGillycuddy said: “We are very happy to once again be working for St Modwen Logistics on this key gateway development in Newport. This represents the third instruction we have received from St Modwen in the past 12 months with two of those projects running currently at St Modwen Park Chippenham and SkyPark Exeter respectively. St Modwen Logistics has an extensive development programme currently at sites across the UK and Glencar are extremely proud to be a construction partner of choice to help facilitate that. We look forward to progressing these works as rapidly as possible and a successful outcome”. The project starts on site this month and is due for completion in Q4 2022. The project team includes Cumming Group, Roberts Limbrick and Rogers Leask. For further information visit: https://stmodwenlogistics.co.uk/property/st-modwen-park-newport/ Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Leading Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has announced the completion of a new light manufacturing facility on Hamilton Way, Oakham Business Park, Mansfield. The £10million scheme sees the construction of a two-storey facility and basement space for a UK leading aerospace manufacturer based in the East Midlands. The 80,000 sq ft steel frame building features composite insulated cladding to the walls and roof to provide a production facility and headquarters comprising a ground floor with workshop, office and meeting spaces, including staff facilities and a basement level for storage. Adjacent is an external service yard with two artic loading bays and car parking spaces over three levels for 139 cars. Five gabion retaining walls are also in place across the site – totalling 170 metres in length with a height of 1.2 metres. As part of the project G F Tomlinson also carried out £3million M&E works, and worked alongside project manager and principal designer Jackson Design Associates and Webb Gray Architects – both firms the contractor has worked with previously on office and industrial schemes elsewhere in Mansfield and in Lichfield. Chris Flint, managing director of G F Tomlinson, said: “We are very pleased to have completed construction works for this impressive industrial facility in Mansfield, which has been designed to meet the end user’s growing manufacturing ambitions, storage and office requirements. “It is a pleasure to have worked once again with Jackson Design Associates and Webb Gray Architects – two local businesses which each have a wealth of experience in the Midlands region and in this sector.” David Grieves, senior project manager at Jackson Design Associates, said: “It’s great to see this project completed. The collaborative working relationship with G F Tomlinson helped overcome challenges along the journey, resulting in a successful project delivery. The client can now enjoy the impressive internal space for what they do best.” G F Tomlinson, which has offices in Derbyshire and Birmingham, has many years of experience across multiple sectors including industrial, education, retail, healthcare, leisure, commercial and residential. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has acquired a 22-acre site in an established industrial location in West Sussex for a last-mile logistics development. The site, which Panattoni has just acquired is located at Burgess Hill, fronting the A2300 dual carriageway and providing fast access to the A23/M23, Crawley, Brighton and the south coast markets. The new speculative park is already home to DPD and Roche. Panattoni is intending to speculatively develop the whole site, called Panattoni Park Burgess Hill, which will provide facilities from 7,466 sq ft to 141,460 sq ft, although design and build opportunities with a number of occupiers already showing interest bespoke units. Panattoni expects to start construction in the fourth quarter of this year with the intention of delivering units to a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and an EPC rating of ‘A’ in the middle of 2023. It will take advantage of the site’s outline planning consent to build the units quickly offering opportunities for both B2 and B8 occupiers. Panattoni vast experience of buy, build and let was recently demonstrated at the former Benthalls site in Farnborough, which it bought, built and let in just 11 months. Tony Watkins, Development Director at Panattoni, said: “This well-located site provides us with the opportunity to meet the high occupier demand for logistics space in the Crawley, Brighton and south coast markets, where the supply of available space is very low. We will be offering a wide range of unit sizes to occupiers in an area where there is a critical lack of stock to serve such a big market of consumers”. Letting agents are DTRE, Lambert Smith Hampton and SHW. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
