The Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase has been completed on the UK’s first waste plastic to hydrogen facility. The facility, which is planned for Protos – Peel L&P Environmental’s strategic energy and resource hub in Cheshire – will create hydrogen from waste plastic which could be used to fuel cars,
St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics has entered into a development agreement to create an 11.3-acre business park with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and leaseholder ITT Inc. The Basingstoke site, owned freehold by the Council and held by lessee and global multi-industrial manufacturers ITT Inc, is located within the wider
Evans Property Group has completed work on a £1.4 million, three-unit industrial scheme at York Business Park. The property investor and developer has appointed Savills as joint agent with Flanagan James to launch the units to market. Evans has had interests in York Business Park for some 30 years for
LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General), on behalf of its Managed Property Fund, and development partner Wrenbridge, announce that they have secured planning permission to transform a 107,000 sq ft industrial development at Gateway Cambridge in Bar Hill. This latest planning permission is in line with the fund’s strategy to
The two giant greenhouses have used more glass than The Shard, and just one is one-and-a-half times the size of the O2 in London. This world-first development, project managed by Step Associates, will also be home to the largest heat pump system project in the UK. The greenhouses have been
A leading packaging group has acquired a multi-million pound warehouse, which will become its national headquarters, in a deal wrapped up by commercial property investor and developer Barberry Group. Allpack Group, trading as Allpack Packaging, has acquired the freehold of the 60,000 sq ft unit which is being developed by
North Lincolnshire’s economy is to receive a £4.3m boost thanks to the £25.8million awarded to Lincolnshire as part of the Government’s Getting Building Fund. The fund supports the delivery of shovel-ready infrastructure projects to boost economic growth, fuel local recovery and create jobs. The money will be used for drainage
A Tristan Capital Partners fund has bought a £68m UK logistics portfolio from the Richardson family which includes Cransley Park, Kettering and Velocity 42, Redditch developed in partnership with St Francis Group. The portfolio which also includes a unit of 105,000 sq. ft in Avonmouth developed by Curtis Hall, consists
Mountpark Logistics, a leading developer of industrial and logistics property, today announced that it has leased a 307,807 sq ft distribution centre at Mountpark Warrington Omega II, to leading recipe box company, Gousto. Following strong trading from the start of the year, with revenues for the first quarter reaching 70%
A 29-acre site is the latest industrial/warehouse scheme brought forward by the developer as it continues to expand its development pipeline St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration has announced that it has assembled a site of 29
The Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase has been completed on the UK’s first waste plastic to hydrogen facility. The facility, which is planned for Protos – Peel L&P Environmental’s strategic energy and resource hub in Cheshire – will create hydrogen from waste plastic which could be used to fuel cars, buses and HGVs. Completed during lockdown, the study assessed all the design and engineering aspects of the proposed facility. It also evaluated the total project costs – estimated at £20m – which will facilitate Peel L&P Environmental finalising the project financing. The ‘UK first’ facility which gained planning consent from Cheshire West & Chester Council in March 2020 will use pioneering DMG (Distributed Modular Generation) technology developed by Powerhouse Energy Group plc (AIM: PHE) at Thornton Science Park, next door to Protos. The facility will transform the way plastic is dealt with regionally, with the scheme also set to provide a blueprint for future projects to be rolled out nationally. Peel L&P Environmental will develop 11 facilities across the UK in the next few years and has the option of exclusive rights to the Powerhouse Energy technology in the UK leading to over 70 facilities in total. The plastic to hydrogen facility, is the first part of the ‘Plastic Park’ planned at Protos, which will revolutionise the way that plastic waste is currently handled. Envisaged to be one of many Plastic Parks across the UK, it will provide a comprehensive solution for the 4.9 million tonnes of plastic waste generated in the UK each year, preventing it ending up in landfill, exported overseas or in the ocean. A planning application for the first Plastic Park at Protos is expected before the end of the year. Richard Barker, Director at Peel L&P Environmental said: “This FEED phase is an important step forward in delivering this innovative technology at Protos. Working with Powerhouse Energy we’re creating a blueprint for this UK first plastic-to-hydrogen facility, with plans to roll out over 70 more across the UK. With hydrogen increasingly being seen as an important part of our journey to net zero the time is now.” Jayne Hennessy, Development Manager at Peel L&P Environmental said: “The Powerhouse Energy technology was developed right next door to Protos at Thornton Science Park which illustrates how the North West is leading on innovation around net zero. It’s great to see the project moving forward and paves the way for construction starting later this year.” David Ryan, CEO of Powerhouse Energy said: “I would like to congratulate Peel L&P on bringing the FEED phase for the DMG plant at Protos to a successful completion, especially during the lockdown period which is a significant achievement. Defining the application at Protos has provided further commercial and technical validation of our DMG technology. We are confident that the delivery of this first commercial plant will provide a community based distributed source of hydrogen to further the hydrogen economy in the UK.” Peel L&P Environmental is engaging with supply chain partners to support the project with construction expected to start later this year. The company is also in the process of applying for an Environmental Permit for the facility. About Peel Environmental and Protos Peel Environmental, part of Peel L&P, owns and develops waste infrastructure projects. It has achieved consent for a range of energy infrastructure schemes including a 49MW Energy from Waste plant at Protos in Cheshire, 29MW Energy from Waste plant at Kellingley, North Yorkshire, 250,000tpa AD and MRF in Glasgow; and a 20MW Energy Centre at Houghton Main, Barnsley. Peel works with investors, waste management companies, technology providers and contractors to secure a deliverable and fundable business model for each project. www.peelenvironmental.co.uk Peel Environmental brought forward and consented the Protos development, previously known as Ince Resource Recovery Park. The 54ha (134 acres) development site has full outline planning consent and part detailed planning consent for general manufacturing and distribution uses (B1, B2 & B8), as well as a biomass facility and an Energy from Waste facility. www.protos.co.uk @ThisIsProtos Protos sits within the Energy Innovation District (EID) which brings together energy users, network owners, innovators and partners working alongside Cheshire & Warrington LEP, Cheshire West and Chester Council and the University of Chester. With the objective of driving down the cost of clean energy the EID is an opportunity to deliver a new decarbonised energy system for the North West of England, meeting the Government’s Clean Growth agenda while boosting economic growth and investment. www.energyinnovationdistrict.com About Peel L&P – realising possibility. We are an ambitious regeneration business with generations of history, heritage and expertise in our DNA. First established in 1971, Peel L&P is now responsible for some of the most transformational development projects in the UK today. Owning and managing 12 million sq. ft of property and 20,000 acres of land and water, our holdings are concentrated in the north west of England but we also own and manage significant assets throughout the UK with a total portfolio value of £2.6 billion. As a part of the Peel Group; we are integral to a business that strives to make a positive impact on people’s lives. Our legacy matters. We take great pride in the outcomes we achieve, the people we work with, the way we go about our business and the transformational projects we deliver. Our specialist teams have a proven track record in delivering high-quality, legacy projects across land, property, water and airspace. This includes airports, hotels, waterways, media hubs, event spaces, leisure facilities, retail, workspaces, residential development, industrial & logistical space, public realm, historic gardens and the renewable energy sector. Peel L&P is an agile and ambitious business with a legacy of success for a long-term, sustainable future. We see possibility. We deliver transformation. More information at www.peellandp.co.uk or follow @PeelLandP on Twitter. About Powerhouse Energy Group (AIM:PHE) Powerhouse Energy Group has developed a proprietary process technology – DMG® – which can utilise waste plastic, end-of-life-tyres, and other waste streams to efficiently and economically convert them
St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics has entered into a development agreement to create an 11.3-acre business park with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and leaseholder ITT Inc. The Basingstoke site, owned freehold by the Council and held by lessee and global multi-industrial manufacturers ITT Inc, is located within the wider Viables Business Park and will be known as St. Modwen Park Basingstoke following the grant of planning consent from the local authority in January 2020. As part of the agreement, St. Modwen will create new employment space in response to strong occupier demand and has permission to deliver up to 200,000 sq ft of industrial and logistics space. With full planning consent in place, construction of three high-quality speculative units of 36,987, 51,572 and 97,781 sq ft will commence in September 2020. As per the agreed timetable for the development, units at the site will be available as early as Q3 2021, creating up to 250 new jobs once occupied. Strategically located between Junction 6 and 7 of the M3 and within 2 miles of Basingstoke town centre, the development is well placed to capitalise on the town’s existing diverse economy, providing fast access to London and Southampton. David McGougan, Senior Development Manager at St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics, said: “St. Modwen Park Basingstoke forms part of our strategy to grow a high-quality industrial and logistics portfolio. After obtaining planning permission at the start of this year, our breakthrough development agreement reaffirms our intention to press on with these plans and deliver an industry-leading employment scheme for Basingstoke. The terms we’ve agreed will enable us to fulfil the local authority’s aspiration to deliver regeneration and drive employment.” Ravi Patel, Director of European Shared Services at ITT Inc, added: “We’re completely aligned with St. Modwen’s ambition to transform this site – their regeneration and industrial and logistics credentials speak for themselves. Now that terms are settled and the agreement is signed, we look forward to delivering an employment space that is fit for market demand together.” Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property Cllr John Izett added: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement with St. Modwen which will enable the company to redevelop this site near the M3 for a new logistics park, creating 250 high quality local jobs once complete. “This investment and the new jobs it will bring is especially welcome at a time when the priority is on recovering from the effects of COVID-19. It demonstrates Basingstoke remains open for business.” Marketing agents for the site are London Clancy, Hollis Hockley and Savills. For more information, visit: stmodwenlogistics.co.uk/property/st-modwen-park-basingstoke
Evans Property Group has completed work on a £1.4 million, three-unit industrial scheme at York Business Park. The property investor and developer has appointed Savills as joint agent with Flanagan James to launch the units to market. Evans has had interests in York Business Park for some 30 years for Evans Easy Space and Evans Business Living and this latest venture is set to address the well documented regional shortages of high-quality industrial/warehouse accommodation. CBM Construction has completed work on three self-contained units of 4,225 sq ft, 3,650 sq ft and 3,250 sq ft with integral offices, secure parking and fenced yard areas. The total development value for the scheme is £1.4 million. Evans has also secured planning consent for a fourth unit of 5,250 sq ft which is being marketed by the agency team on a pre-let basis and can be delivered in 9 months to suit occupier requirements. Located on Great North Way, the main estate road within the established York Business Park, the units are just 3 miles from York City Centre and front onto the York outer ring road and the A64. York Business Park has a range of leisure amenities for occupiers to benefit from. Richard Bean, Senior Asset Manager for Evans Property Group, said; “Work has been completed on time on this exciting new addition to York Business Park. Demand for industrial and warehousing accommodation of this size remains strong and we are pleased to have added to the pipeline for occupiers seeking quality space in an established, successful location. We are proud to be further contributing to the long-term regeneration of York Business Park and look forward to welcoming new occupiers in due course.” Tom Asher, Director at Savills, continued; “Savills are delighted to be appointed by Evans Property Group as joint letting agents working alongside Flanagan James. The units are extremely well specified and provide some much-needed light industrial units to the York area. The industrial property market has been buoyant in the first half of 2020 with record levels of take-up in Yorkshire, despite the Covid 19 outbreak. We are already receiving good levels of interest from local and national occupiers and anticipate the units will be let within a short timeframe.”
LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General), on behalf of its Managed Property Fund, and development partner Wrenbridge, announce that they have secured planning permission to transform a 107,000 sq ft industrial development at Gateway Cambridge in Bar Hill. This latest planning permission is in line with the fund’s strategy to evolve its asset holdings and deploy capital into key growth areas, such as the industrial sector, which have retained strong fundamentals. Despite the economic downturn, the fund has continued to drive forward this mandate and recently also announced the acquisition of a significant urban logistics scheme in Basildon for £23.2 million. Once complete, Gateway Cambridge will comprise eight Grade A units, ranging in size from 3,046 sq ft to 45,694 sq ft. Bar Hill is strategically located on the newly improved A14 with excellent connectivity to Cambridge and the M11. The area represents a popular location for industrial occupiers, with excellent amenity on the doorstep and a large workforce available. In line with Legal & General’s wider ESG commitments, Bar Hill has been designed from its inception to be a best in class, environmentally sustainable industrial development which focuses on staff wellbeing. As redevelopment gets underway, Legal & General will look to further bolster the ESG credentials of the new Gateway Cambridge scheme. Rob Codling, Senior Fund Manager, Managed Property Fund said:“Gateway Cambridge, Bar Hill was acquired by the Managed Property Fund in 2006 and is now well placed for modernisation. In line with its strategy, the fund is continuing to maximise holdings where we can be confident that location, occupier demand and sector fundamentals will sustain resilient income streams for the long term. At Bar Hill, we look forward to delivering a high-quality, sustainable development which can provide both economic value and employment opportunities to the local area.” James Feltham, Director at Wrenbridge, added:“The industrial sector continues to thrive, with demand for quality new space outstripping supply. Gateway Cambridge will deliver new units in a size range to cater for a range of occupiers and our focus is to provide a new sustainable development in an environment that will help companies attract and retain staff.” Bidwells and Savills are appointed as the leasing agents for the new development.
The two giant greenhouses have used more glass than The Shard, and just one is one-and-a-half times the size of the O2 in London. This world-first development, project managed by Step Associates, will also be home to the largest heat pump system project in the UK. The greenhouses have been built next to Anglian Water’s water treatment facilities, the heat from the sewage works will be pumped into the energy centres serving the greenhouses and will provide the ideal growing temperature for growing millions of tomatoes, 10% of the UK’s homegrown tomato crop, along with peppers and cucumbers. Director at Step Associates, Mark Dykes, said “The scheme is using the UK’s largest system of heat pumps, which will channel heat from warm water into the greenhouses to help speed growth. This use of natural energy will cut carbon emissions associated with growing the tomato crop by 75%.” The carbon emissions from an on-site electricity plant will also be funnelled into the greenhouses for the plants to absorb and aid their growth. Greencoat Capital, one of the UK’s largest clean energy funds, is behind the plans and estimates that the greenhouses will produce vegetables with a quarter of the carbon footprint of regular greenhouses. The greenhouses, which are set to start growing this winter, are 7-metre tall glass structures and will allow crops to grow vertically along guide wires. They will be grown hydroponically from nutrient-rich water solutions instead of using soil. As well as providing the UK with homegrown tomatoes, the project will also create up to 360 permanent jobs in the area, and up to 460 at peak season. Mark comments: “This project has been a long and rewarding journey. The greenhouses, being a world-first in their use of renewable energy, have positioned the UK as leading the way in a low carbon solution to growing sustainably, and will hopefully pave the way for similar projects.”
A leading packaging group has acquired a multi-million pound warehouse, which will become its national headquarters, in a deal wrapped up by commercial property investor and developer Barberry Group. Allpack Group, trading as Allpack Packaging, has acquired the freehold of the 60,000 sq ft unit which is being developed by Barberry on Kingswood Lakeside Business Park in Cannock, Staffordshire, at one of the region’s key logistics hubs. Barberry has started work on the site and is expected to reach practical completion of the new headquarters logistics building at Kingswood Lakeside Business Park, Blakeney Way in Q2 2021. The deal will bring much-needed investment and dozens of new jobs to the region. Barberry development director Jon Robinson said: “We are thrilled to have agreed to sell the freehold of our high quality warehouse unit to Allpack Group before we have reached practical completion on site.” “It offers Allpack a fantastic new headquarters for their national operations as they expand and relocate from their current base in Aldridge. The successful conclusion of this deal clearly demonstrates the quality of our mid-box industrial/logistics buildings, the high specification we deliver, our experience and our flexible approach to cater for occupier requirements, while being able to offer both leasehold and freehold opportunities.” Jon added: “We have worked hard and invested heavily to create a Barberry brand in the mid-box industrial/logistics market, providing high quality buildings that we are proud of being built to an institutional acceptable specification that also satisfy occupier’s requirements.” Bob Clarke, operations director at Allpack Group, said: “We are delighted to announce our acquisition of Barberry 60 as the new headquarters for Allpack, which will allow us to continue supporting our clients nationally with the exceptional service levels that have become synonymous with the Allpack brand. 2020 has seen the ecommerce sector grow to new records and this facility will further enable us to develop and grow our business whilst continuing to service our customer needs and requirements. It has been a pleasure transacting with Barberry and we look forward to practically completing our building.” The 3.5-acre site was acquired by Barberry from Staffordshire County Council. Barberry secured detailed planning permission and appointed construction contractor Benniman. The ground treatment works required to enhance this prime employment location were part-funded by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) via its Local Growth Fund. The location offers occupiers excellent connections to the motorway network, with immediate access to M6 Toll Road, the M6, M42, the A5 and A34. Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for economy and skills Philip White said: “We are pleased that the Allpack Group has selected Kingswood Lakeside Business Park as the location for its new headquarters, bringing investment and dozens of new jobs to Staffordshire. This is particularly important as we look towards the post-Covid economic recovery. “This is a significant milestone as it is the final plot at Kingswood Lakeside – one of Staffordshire’s key employment sites. The quality and success of this final plot development by Barberry, as with the wider business park, underlines the benefit of close co-operation between the public and private sectors. It is further demonstration of how we’re continuing at pace with our economic growth programme in Staffordshire.” Chris Loughran, deputy chair at GBSLEP, said: “Kingswood Lakeside Business Park is an excellent example of how strong relationships between the public and private sector can enable developments that have a hugely positive impact on our region. “Through our Local Growth Fund, we have invested £2.16 million in the site and this deal demonstrates what an important and timely investment it was. Attracting a nationally recognised business like the Allpack Group will support job growth for local people in one of the region’s key sectors. This continues to be one of GBSLEP’s major priorities as our region recovers from the impact of Covid-19.” Richard James-Moore, of JLL, acting on behalf of Barberry, said: “We are thrilled to have negotiated this deal on behalf of Barberry. The building specification together with the quality location and ability to acquire the freehold created a compelling case for Allpack and we are pleased to conclude the Pre sale. We look forward to seeing Allpack take occupation of the PC’d building.” JLL and MWRE were joints agents for Barberry. It’s been a busy year for Barberry. It recently announced a £40 million state-of-the-art aerospace manufacturing and design facility for a global leader in aerospace engine and flight controls systems will be developed in Gloucestershire. The 184,000 sq ft centre of excellence for Moog’s Aircraft Controls Segment will be built on a 10-acre site at Ashchurch, Tewkesbury. It is believed to be one of the biggest deals of the year in the manufacturing sector. Meanwhile, earlier this summer it announced that the UK’s leading roofing merchant is investing £4million in a new distribution hub after agreeing a deal for a unit at a multi-million pound business park in the South West. Joint venture developer Richardson Barberry agreed a deal with SIG Roofing – which plays a critical role in the construction supply chain – for a 10-year lease on a 31,617 sq ft warehouse unit in Bristol. Barberry, recognised as the Commercial Developer of the Year 2019 at the prestigious West Midlands Property Awards, has a 3.3 million sq ft industrial/logistics development portfolio with a Gross Development Value of more than £398 million. The company is also delivering student accommodation and residential schemes worth in excess of £200 million and has 528 acres of strategic development land, with a development land value of £262 million, across 14 sites under its control.
North Lincolnshire’s economy is to receive a £4.3m boost thanks to the £25.8million awarded to Lincolnshire as part of the Government’s Getting Building Fund. The fund supports the delivery of shovel-ready infrastructure projects to boost economic growth, fuel local recovery and create jobs. The money will be used for drainage and flood defences on the South Humber Bank, unlocking a large area of land enabling the development of the Able Marine Energy Park. It will also protect current businesses in the area. The Government have announced £100bn of offshore wind projects and the new Able Marine Energy Park aims to be a major player in the massive growth sector. The development will see thousands of jobs created that will transform the area’s economy creating a world-class engineering industry on which the area’s long-term prosperity can be based. “A vital part of the jigsaw and great example of local support, the comment used by ABLE UK Executive Chairman, Peter Stephenson, to describe the grant support for the pumping station as a means of progressing the development of the Able Marine Energy Park (AMEP). He explains, “The offshore wind sector is potentially on the cusp of something very special. We have clear and unambiguous policy from Whitehall – through the Sector Deal, and the increasingly demanding targets for both power generation and the extent of UK context – there is an unparalleled level of market visibility. Combine this with the sectors extraordinary efforts in terms of developing new products and significantly reducing costs and the sector is set to become a dominant factor in a post Covid 19 UK economy. “Confirmation of this Government funding is very much a step in the right direction. We believe that the Able Marine Energy Park can and will play a vital role in this process to, first and foremost, provide purpose-built heavy-duty deep-water quays and, just as crucially, a large expanse of adjacent supporting hinterland. Without those key building blocks in place the status quo will prevail and the aspirations to maximise UK activity will be further diminished”. The pumping station, which is also being funded with £2.4 million from ABLE and other beneficiaries, will deliver extensive surface drainage across a large area of the South Humber Bank with a wide range of benefitting businesses and landowners. It will replace temporary arrangements and provide a permanent solution that will be adopted by the North Easy Lindsey Drainage Board. Cllr Rob Waltham. Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, added: “This is a significant commitment from the Government towards delivering a new port facility in North Lincolnshire.” “We have been working closely with ABLE over the last few months, to understand the new market opportunities that are opening up in this sector in order to secure the prospective development of a new marine energy park. This is hopefully just the beginning, we, and the Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership are fully committed to supporting the process of economic development and, potential that could come from a off-shore marine energy park in our area. This project delivers business investment on a significant site that could unlock skills, jobs and investment here in the North’. Helping to transform the local economy, whilst also bringing jobs to local residents from the Scunthorpe and Grimsby area. “ “The Able Marine Energy Park has the potential to unlock the renewables sector in North Lincolnshire, supporting the Governments ambitions for clean growth, providing a much needed, more resilient sustainable economic future for North Lincolnshire. “The pumping station and drainage works are vital for the scheme’s success and the wider development and sustainability of businesses on the South Humber Bank too. The plans were ready to go and I am delighted that the Government has recognised the ability to deliver on this transformational development will have a major impact local, regionally and nationally. “This project provides a significant opportunity towards attracting and retaining highly skilled jobs to the area and will be a key driver for economic growth and prosperity for decades to come.” Pat Doody, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: “Today’s announcement is very welcome and is reflective of the excellent collaborative working between the LEP and its partners. “As we reshape our Local Industrial Strategy and recovery plans to reflect the impact of the pandemic, it is important that we help build an economy that it is more resilient in the long term and which responds to the needs of our businesses and communities. “We will continue to work with the Government on future funding for investments to support our ambitions and look forward to delivering this transformative programme for Greater Lincolnshire.”
A Tristan Capital Partners fund has bought a £68m UK logistics portfolio from the Richardson family which includes Cransley Park, Kettering and Velocity 42, Redditch developed in partnership with St Francis Group. The portfolio which also includes a unit of 105,000 sq. ft in Avonmouth developed by Curtis Hall, consists of 11 new-build logistics buildings. St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in brownfield development sold development ready sites to the Richardson family in December 2017 and have since worked in partnership to deliver an ambitious speculative development programme. At the time of sale 145,000 sq. ft of space was either occupied or under offer. Talking about the deal Gareth Williams, Director at St Francis Group said: “During difficult times we are delighted to have been able to capitalise on continued investor appetite for high quality and well-located industrial warehouse stock. The St Francis Group building specification has evolved into a superior yet economical product and having regenerated both former brown field sites, we are delighted to see them sold into long term ownership.” For further information visit : www.cransley-park.co.uk and www.velocity-42.co.uk
Mountpark Logistics, a leading developer of industrial and logistics property, today announced that it has leased a 307,807 sq ft distribution centre at Mountpark Warrington Omega II, to leading recipe box company, Gousto. Following strong trading from the start of the year, with revenues for the first quarter reaching 70% year-on-year growth, the lockdown has accelerated the growth of the online grocery market and demand for Gousto’s recipe boxes is rapidly increasing. Revenues for the first six months of 2020 surpassed the £83m of sales reported for the whole of 2019. Gousto is therefore expanding its distribution network, helping it to at least triple capacity by 2022, with this new facility being a key part of the expansion programme. “The recent lockdown accelerated structural trends which were already firmly underway, opening up the recipe box market to a far larger audience. Now, even as lockdown eases, we’ve maintained record sales, with new customers won over by our market leading choice and variety, and the convenience of having fresh ingredients delivered to their door with no hassle or food waste” said Timo Boldt, CEO and Founder of Gousto. “We’re excited to open up this new energy-efficient facility at Mountpark Warrington Omega ll to help us step change capacity, enabling us to deliver even more Gousto boxes to households across the country, as we get closer to our mission of becoming the UK’s most-loved way to eat dinner.” The transaction is the first letting at Mountpark Warrington Omega II and was signed before practical completion. Mountpark is now working with Gousto to integrate elements of the company’s fit-out specification within the build programme. The Gousto facility is planned to go live at the end of 2021, and will bring over 400 permanent new jobs to the region, once fully operational. “We are delighted to welcome Gousto to Mountpark Warrington Omega II and to be working with the team to adapt the facility to meet the company’s exact operational requirements,” said Tom Kilmister, Development Director, Mountpark UK & Ireland. “Our aim is to offer customers the best property opportunities on the market and at Mountpark Warrington Omega II we are developing high quality units at one of North West’s premier logistics locations.” Construction at Mountpark Warrington Omega II started earlier this year and the first two units of 307,807 sq ft and 203,180 sq ft are on schedule to complete in January 2021. The third unit, totalling 225,000 sq ft, is programmed to complete in summer 2021. Designed to help occupiers become Carbon Zero, each building at Mountpark Warrington Omega II has a rooftop Solar PV array and battery storage system that will meet around 50% of the facility’s regulated energy. Mountpark Warrington Omega II is at the gateway to Omega South, part of the 575 acre mixed use Omega scheme at Junction 8 of the M62 north of Warrington, midway between Liverpool and Manchester. The first phase of Mountpark Warrington Omega is let to Royal Mail and the Delivery Group. Other occupiers at Omega include Brakes, Hermes, Travis Perkins, ASDA, The Hut Group, Dominos and Amazon. CBRE and JLL acted for Mountpark and Gousto was represented by SBH.
A 29-acre site is the latest industrial/warehouse scheme brought forward by the developer as it continues to expand its development pipeline St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration has announced that it has assembled a site of 29 acres in Kings Norton, Birmingham for the development of new industrial warehouse space. Announcing the purchase of the Pilkington Automotive and GKN Aerospace sites, the speculative development of a 400,000 sq. ft multi-unit scheme will be funded by the Richardson family making this the third collaboration between the two parties following the successful development and sale of Velocity42 in Redditch and Cransley Park in Kettering. A detailed planning application will be submitted later this year with work on site scheduled to begin once the existing occupiers vacate next year. The new proposals could create around 900 new jobs. Speaking about the announcement Gareth Williams, Director at St Francis Group said “We are delighted to have secured these strategic sites and to be able to promote a scheme in the heart of the greater Birmingham conurbation. We have seen a huge growth in the mid box industrial warehouse market, and we will be aiming to meet that demand with 8 new energy efficient units ranging from 25,000 sq. ft to 70,000 sq. ft” “We recognise the value in higher performing sustainable assets and so we are looking to develop units using construction standards that exceed occupier expectations throughout their life cycle.” New units will be ready for occupation by the end of 2022. Marketing for pre-let deals will begin immediately. Savills and JLL have been retained as sole letting agents on the scheme.