Midlands-contractor G F Tomlinson is due to start highway infrastructure works this August as part of the £2.4million re-development of a mixed-use business park site in Skegness for Lincolnshire County Council, via the Scape Regional Construction framework. Works at the Skegness Industrial Estate located to the west of the town,
CBRE Global Investors Buys 3 Units At Leeds Logistics Park CBRE Global Investors has acquired 3 units totalling 119,500 sq ft from CDP Marshall at the flagship 62 Leeds logistics hub, demonstrating the continued high level of demand for prime mid-box units in the regional industrial sector. The acquisition includes
Plans for a massive logistics centre believed to be for online retailer Amazon have been unveiled by its developer. It is thought the online giant could create up to 3,500 jobs with the 1.6m sq ft logistics fulfilment centre next to the A66 in Darlington. The identity of the site’s
Construction work has officially begun on a new distribution centre based at Optimus Point in Leicestershire for laboratory and medical equipment supplier, Sarstedt Limited The facility was granted planning permission in the summer following the appointment of construction consultancy Gleeds by Wilson Bowden Developments. Gleeds is acting as the employer’s
The first phase of a giant warehousing complex geared for the needs of online shopping is taking shape at Ipswich, off the A14. The Great Blakenham scheme – described as groundbreaking – will be a warehouse and distribution complex which is set to break with traditional norms with its building
Barberry Developments is developing a £9.8 million, 72,000 sq ft, speculative warehouse unit at the site of a former DIY store in Northamptonshire. Barberry Developments has started on site at the 3.5-acre site, at Sopwith Way, Daventry. Benniman has been appointed construction contractor and practical completion is expected in May
An £8 million industrial scheme has been completed by Caddick Construction in Knowsley, Merseyside, boosting the provision of warehouse space in the area. The scheme called Element is part of a bigger development at Network Space’s Alchemy Business Park, which will provide three highly specified industrial warehouse units of 22,900
MARK Pawsey MP has lent his support to an £8m business park development that will bring up to 100 jobs to the West Midlands. The MP for Rugby was given a tour around the 85,000 sq ft Stepnell Park site on Lawford Road, Rugby, which will bring new investment and
Construction work has started on a 55,000 sq ft industrial warehouse which is being developed on a speculative basis. MV55 is the newest addition to Markham Vale, a 200-acre industrial and logistics development located at Junction 29A of the M1 – a joint venture between Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and Derbyshire
Rope and Sling Specialists (RSS) will test 24 jibs and runway beams, in addition to related hoists, during three site visits at the Wheelabrator Parc Adfer facility in Flintshire, North Wales this month (April), ahead of commencement of waste-to-energy operations later in the year. A major challenge separated the project
Midlands-contractor G F Tomlinson is due to start highway infrastructure works this August as part of the £2.4million re-development of a mixed-use business park site in Skegness for Lincolnshire County Council, via the Scape Regional Construction framework. Works at the Skegness Industrial Estate located to the west of the town, close to main routes such as the A52 include the construction of a new highway link to join up two parts of the existing industrial estate, which will allow for the expansion of the park site onto the surrounding agricultural land. The preparation works will enable the current site to be more easily accessible for multiple business functions in future, to accommodate speculative builds or purpose-built units for a range of private clients, including local seasonal companies in Skegness for storage needs. As well as a new 4,000m2 access road, there will also be a foul water pump station that will service the land, as well as water and electric service ducts to allow services to be easily brought onto the site in future and LED street lighting to current standards. Expected to be complete in spring 2021, the redeveloped business park site will span six hectares, which includes the current existing main industrial site and surrounding road infrastructure that is being opened up for future development. G F Tomlinson has worked on numerous projects for Lincolnshire County Council in the past, including heritage works for Lincoln Castle and in the education sector – the refurbishment of school buildings at Lincoln Castle Academy and Monks Abbey Primary School, the construction of a new two storey Science and ICT building at Walton High School in Grantham, as part of its expansion and transition from an all-girls school to a coeducational secondary school, and the refurbishment of the disused former Mablethorpe Tennyson High School, to create the Springwell Alternative Academy in Mablethorpe. Managing director of G F Tomlinson, Andy Sewards, said: “We’re delighted to announce the commencement of infrastructure works this August for the redevelopment of the existing business park site in Skegness. The works will ensure accessibility to the site and existing industrial estate and will facilitate potential for economic development for the town, providing quality space with access to agricultural land for a number of businesses in the vicinity, or for those looking to relocate to the Skegness area. “We have a solid, longstanding relationship with our client, Lincolnshire County Council, and have worked with them for numerous projects and developments since 2012 when we did the first of the waste transfer stations. We look forward to seeing this project through from its summer start to finish, which is expected at the beginning of next year.” Cllr Colin Davie, executive councillor for economy at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The expansion of the business park is a big confidence boost for our coast. Diversifying the economy in the area will provide more year-round employment as well as allowing local businesses to expand or re-locate. “The site will be suitable for a wide range of business needs and usage, including purpose-built units for many different companies, and will encourage future investment. By boosting investment and creating jobs, there will be benefits throughout the wider area.” Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, said: “G F Tomlinson has a long-standing relationship with Lincolnshire County Council and it is great to see that they are utilising the speed and efficiency of the Regional Construction framework for the infrastructure works at the Skegness Industrial Estate, ensuring it is fit for expansion will bring investment to the local area, helping with the town’s economic recovery and future development.”
CBRE Global Investors Buys 3 Units At Leeds Logistics Park CBRE Global Investors has acquired 3 units totalling 119,500 sq ft from CDP Marshall at the flagship 62 Leeds logistics hub, demonstrating the continued high level of demand for prime mid-box units in the regional industrial sector. The acquisition includes the investment of the 42,000 sq ft Unit 5 which is let to Johnsons Apparelmaster Ltd for 15 years, along with the 57,500 sq ft Unit 6 and the 20,000 sq ft Unit 7 which are both currently under construction and scheduled for completion in September 2020. 62 Leeds is an established industrial/warehouse development on Geldard Road by J27 of the M62 and is home to high-profile occupiers including Lidl, Unitrunk, Johnsons Dry Cleaners and Turners Accident Repair Centres. CBRE Global Investors was advised by Carrick Real Estate and the joint agency team of CBRE and Carter Towler represented CDP Marshall in the transaction. Sophie Angus, Associate Director at CBRE Leeds, said; “CBRE GI’s acquisition at 62 Leeds reflects the strength and confidence in the regional industrial and logistics market and prime detached warehouse units such as these are in very short supply. As such, the new units becoming available in September will be extremely well received by the occupier market.”
Plans for a massive logistics centre believed to be for online retailer Amazon have been unveiled by its developer. It is thought the online giant could create up to 3,500 jobs with the 1.6m sq ft logistics fulfilment centre next to the A66 in Darlington. The identity of the site’s operator has not been officially confirmed but national logistics developer db symmetry has secured a £120m letting at Symmetry Park and said the tenant is a ‘world-leading retailer’. Now db symmetry, in partnership with landowners Durham Cathedral, has unveiled how the development will look when finished, bringing a major economic asset to the Tees Valley. Construction for Symmetry Park is gaining momentum with the steelwork already completed for the first phase of the £100m logistics and distribution hub. ISG Construction is main contractor for the building. Symmetry Park, Darlington is a 90-acre site located on the A66, seven miles from Junction 57 of the A1 motorway and 20 miles from Tees Port. Since acquiring the site last November, db symmetry has secured planning consent for over 1.6m sq ft of B1, B2 and B8 uses and intends to gain outline consent for a further 500,000 sq ft on the remaining 37 acres. db symmetry recently hosted an event in Newcastle to officially launch the scheme to North East agents representing the potential occupier market with a strong marketing drive to showcase the key attributes of the site in terms of specification and location. With the potential to create around 3,500 new jobs and contribute £180m to the regional economy, the developer said Symmetry Park Darlington is a significant new asset for regional and national investment. Andrew Dickman, director at db symmetry said: “We are pleased to formally bring Symmetry Park Darlington to market as an exceptionally strong proposition to those seeking a base in the North East. Having already pre-let a significant proportion of the site to a high calibre operator, we are in a strong position with funding in place and full site infrastructure construction underway. “We can offer bespoke design and build options from 50,000 sq ft to 500,000 sq ft and potential for roadside amenities in the form of a hotel, a petrol filling station, drive through, restaurants and offices.” Colliers International is jointly advising db symmetry with Gent Visick and Carter Jonas. Durham Cathedral was represented by Carter Jonas. The project team includes Lichfields, GVA, Harris Partnership, JPG and Desco.
Construction work has officially begun on a new distribution centre based at Optimus Point in Leicestershire for laboratory and medical equipment supplier, Sarstedt Limited The facility was granted planning permission in the summer following the appointment of construction consultancy Gleeds by Wilson Bowden Developments. Gleeds is acting as the employer’s agent and project manager. The new distribution centre will be located on 5.3 acres of land at Plot 10 Optimus Point, Glenfield and requires the construction of a 61,640 square foot unit. It will include two-storey offices and core facilities. Other requirements of the site include associated external parking, a service yard, and landscaped areas. The facility is the latest addition to Optimus Point, a 65-acre development scheme that sits next to Junction 21a of the M1, featuring a range of local and national industrial warehouse operators. Construction is already underway and is expected to take 36-weeks, with an anticipated completion date of 1 May 2020. Cat Hartley, group manager for planning and economic development, Blaby District Council, said: “Sarstedt’s move to Optimus Point will deliver significant and permanent economic benefits to the District of Blaby. Up to 60 jobs will be retained locally.” Anthony Cork, director, Gleeds, commented: “There is no doubt that this new base will help Sarstedt improve its storage, logistics, and distribution with enhanced and modernised facilities, and it’s great to be starting on site. “Through our appointment as Employers Agent, we will look to use our significant skills in this sector to deliver a successful project for all parties.” Henry Henson, development manager at Wilson Bowden, added: “We are pleased that another local Leicestershire based company has decided to relocate to our Optimus Point development site, following in the footsteps of DPD, Boden, Everards, James Latham and Geary’s Bakeries. “These deals demonstrate that there has been extensive pent up demand by local occupiers, looking for high quality industrial/ warehouse accommodation within the local area and Optimus Point offers them this ideal opportunity.”
The first phase of a giant warehousing complex geared for the needs of online shopping is taking shape at Ipswich, off the A14. The Great Blakenham scheme – described as groundbreaking – will be a warehouse and distribution complex which is set to break with traditional norms with its building design. Developer Curzon de Vere said the aim was of Port One Logistics Park is to give e-commerce operations warehousing and distribution facilities geared to their needs. It said most e-commerce activities were being conducted from centre designed and built for other purposes and many operators were experiencing inefficiencies and high costs as a result. With leases agreed and planning approval in place, Anglia Building Services Ltd has started work on the first phase of the 60-acre site, off the A14’s junction 52, which will result in three units being built within the next year. The first 143,000sq ft unit has been designed for Ipswich-based Chinese fulfilment house operator FDS Corporation Ltd. FDS general manager Sheng Li said: “The past three years has shown us how well our Suffolk location works for us and our growth has given us the confidence to look at a new facility.” Ports and logistics solutions specialist Murray Gibson Associates Ltd, who is providing architecture services, said it was an “exceptional” project, with the building designed from the inside out. “It is very rarely that you get the opportunity of a completely clean sheet of paper on which to design an operation that not only exceeds the client’s original brief, but also ticks so many of the desirable supply chain features that this site in particular offers,” said the firm’s owner Murray Gibson. “Having perfected the internal layout and process flows, it was literally a case of wrapping the building around it.” A fulfilment house differs from conventional warehouses in its use of the ‘cube’ of the building rather than just focusing on the floor area, he explained. “This three-dimensional approach has enabled us to achieve a density of over 32,000 pallets of storage, nine-high with semi-automated locating.” It is thought that around a fifth of UK consumer purchases will be made online by the end of 2019, and that will increase to around a quarter by 2023, with the UK leading Europe in its growing preference for online shopping. “Behind the scenes, nothing short of a mini-revolution has taken place, largely unseen, that ensures our online purchases arrive where we want them and when, leaving us to get on with our busy lives,” explained Mr Gibson. “By cutting out multiple distribution centres and stores and delivering direct to the consumer, retailing is now embedded in the processes that enable us to buy products on our computer, tablet or smart phone. Orders are picked, labelled and marshalled for dispatch by courier and delivery companies to our chosen destination, offering an ever-widening number of options to suit our individual lifestyles.” Other buildings of between 50,000 and 700,000sq ft are planned for the logistics park. They will follow similar design principles, with planning consent for building heights of more than 20 metres. Easy access to the east and westbound carriageways of the A14 are key feature of the site, which will be operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Port One Logistics Park enters the market in exactly the right place and at the right time,” said Mr Gibson. “According to industry analysts Retail Economics, and demonstrated at this year’s United Kingdom Warehousing Association national conference, a further 44m sq ft of warehouse space needs to be built in the UK by the end of 2021 – just to meet the demands of the online retail sector.”
Barberry Developments is developing a £9.8 million, 72,000 sq ft, speculative warehouse unit at the site of a former DIY store in Northamptonshire. Barberry Developments has started on site at the 3.5-acre site, at Sopwith Way, Daventry. Benniman has been appointed construction contractor and practical completion is expected in May 2020. Barberry secured the site for an undisclosed sum from New River Retail and achieved planning consent from Daventry District Council earlier this year. Barberry development director Jon Robinson said: “Barberry 72 will be a prominent high quality warehouse/manufacturing unit, in the highly sought-after mid-box range, in what is an excellent location. “We currently have a logistics/industrial pipeline of circa 2.8 million sq ft. All of our warehouses are available on both leasehold terms or as freehold purchases.” Meanwhile, the Richardson Barberry joint venture construction of five mid-box industrial units, totaling 174,500 sq ft, at More+ in Bristol, has reached practical completion. The JV has also been selected as development partner to deliver a £140 million business park – with 1.75 million sq ft of accommodation – at Aycliffe Business Park in County Durham, and recently gained planning consent.
An £8 million industrial scheme has been completed by Caddick Construction in Knowsley, Merseyside, boosting the provision of warehouse space in the area. The scheme called Element is part of a bigger development at Network Space’s Alchemy Business Park, which will provide three highly specified industrial warehouse units of 22,900 sq ft, 35,200 sqft and 45,450 sq ft. “Element offers a prime location in Knowsley and enjoys exceptional transport links. This latest speculative development demonstrates the high level of confidence that developers have in Knowsley as a place to invest and do business,” said Dale Milburn, Knowsley Council’s Executive Director for Regeneration and Economic Development. The development, which was supported by a £1.8 million Local Growth Fund grant, has been designed to appeal to a wide range of logistics and industrial occupiers and feature generous self-contained yards, office and car park provision, separated office and yard access with 10m eave heights and dock level access provision on the two larger units. Once let, the Element units could accommodate up to 250 jobs and produce a net additional GVA per annum of £9.90 million for the region. “This is Network Space’s fourth self-financed scheme to complete within the last 12 months, taking the total space delivered within that period to just under 400,000 sq ft across 14 units. Within that same period, we have already let nearly 60% of the space and have good prospects for the remaining units. There remains a shortage of industrial warehouse space across the region and this coupled with the prominence, accessibility, quality and presentation of this scheme makes Element a compelling prospect for future occupiers,” commented Stephen Barnes, Managing Director (Development) at Network Space. B8 and CBRE are the appointed agents for the scheme and both have reported encouraging interest from a range of prospective occupiers.
MARK Pawsey MP has lent his support to an £8m business park development that will bring up to 100 jobs to the West Midlands. The MP for Rugby was given a tour around the 85,000 sq ft Stepnell Park site on Lawford Road, Rugby, which will bring new investment and commercial opportunities to the area. Ten new industrial, warehouse or trade counter buildings make up the first phase of work, which is due for completion later this year. Mr Pawsey said: “Developments such as Stepnell Park are crucial for our local economy. What we see here is a West Midlands-based company that is investing in our local area and demonstrating its commitment to creating jobs in Rugby and beyond. “After touring the site and hearing more about the opportunities it is bringing and will continue to bring throughout its construction, I am delighted to throw my full support behind the development.” The site is being developed by construction company Stepnell, which will look to build its own new head office on the later phases of the development The flagship scheme is being used to showcase Stepnell’s ‘Complete Construction Partner’ approach, with the company acting as landlord, developer, principal contractor and employer’s agent for the site. Edward Wakeford, property director at Stepnell, said: “Stepnell Park demonstrates our ability to offer a complete development service, with our construction team working alongside our in-house property and development team. “We are able to deliver schemes from the planning stages through to practical completion on site, and subsequently manage the development and its tenants. “The site also marks a key investment in our own future, allowing us to create a modern working environment for our employees.” Find out more about Stepnell at stepnell.co.uk or join the conversation @StepnellLtd.
Construction work has started on a 55,000 sq ft industrial warehouse which is being developed on a speculative basis. MV55 is the newest addition to Markham Vale, a 200-acre industrial and logistics development located at Junction 29A of the M1 – a joint venture between Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and Derbyshire County Council. Markham Vale is home to the likes of Great Bear, Gist, Ferdinand Bilstein and Sterigenics. This latest building fronts the M1 and includes flexible office space ranging from 2,500 sq ft – 5,000 sq ft alongside high-quality industrial facilities and 50 on-site parking spaces. Andrew Priestley, Development Surveyor at HBD, said: “Our decision to build our latest unit at Markham Vale on a speculative basis is very much a reflection of the strength of the market and continued demand for high-quality, well located industrial property. There is an acute shortage of good quality industrial space across the Yorkshire and East Midlands markets, particularly for buildings between 20,000 sq ft and 100,000 sq ft, resulting in a high degree of latent demand for new-build product like MV55. “We currently have a total of 108,000 sq ft under construction at Markham Vale, with this latest unit scheduled to complete in September along with Protec International’s new purpose-built premises, which started on site last month. Initial conversations have been very positive – businesses are keen to capitalise on its location as well as the high-quality build, which is something occupiers can always count on from HBD.” Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, added: “This is a great opportunity for another business to join our thriving Markham Vale site. This plot has a lot to offer with great links to the M1 and a skilled workforce, high-quality industrial facilities and flexible office space.”
Rope and Sling Specialists (RSS) will test 24 jibs and runway beams, in addition to related hoists, during three site visits at the Wheelabrator Parc Adfer facility in Flintshire, North Wales this month (April), ahead of commencement of waste-to-energy operations later in the year. A major challenge separated the project from other similar testing works. Eventually, post-recycled waste will be treated to create energy and recyclables, providing clean, sustainable energy for more than 30,000 local homes. Operations and associated activities will rely on a variety of overhead lifting equipment, including the aforementioned beams, the final six of which were still being installed at the time of going to press. RSS received a scope of work to proof load test the beams from Lyon, France-based Lab SA, which constructed the building where the majority of them are installed. The remaining three beams are on a nearby stack and residue silo respectively. RSS, a lifting and rigging equipment specialists, will complete the works over two three-day visits, the first of which has been completed, and an additional two-day visit. The main stack beam was 26m high, the same height as the cantilevered beam that protruded from the top of the filter bag house; the residue silo stood 3m taller. Other heights of lift varied between 3m and 10m. RSS delivered all required test weights for the initial visit but will hire a larger beam to complete testing on two of the beams, likely to be completed on 16 April. Gary Coleman, site engineer at RSS, said: “We need to complete the tests in line with the stringent requirements of the site. The beams within the penthouse area of the building were required for installing filler bags and a separate contractor required certification of the hoists and beams so they could use them. The contract included the inspection of chain blocks and trolleys as they were installed. Remedial works will be handled as required.” Coleman also pointed to the project’s biggest challenge: “The client specifically stated that no pulling of the steel structure is allowed anywhere on site. This meant we had to adopt a more complex testing method from start to finish, adding time, cost, and manual handling. We were recommended for the project following our success at a previous waste recovery project, but the two turned out to be very different.” He added: “We carried out testing by using live loads (or weights). We transported weights in our vans to site—a 625kg [weight] and a little basket tare weight [weighing 34kg]. We also bolted a 5t SWL [safe working load] bracket into the concrete floor, held in place with four M12 x 120mm through bolts. Once we had completed testing, we used a grinder to cut off flush to the floor and hammered the remainder below floor level to ensure no trip hazard remained.” Contact for editorial enquiries: Steve Hutin, steve@rssgroup.co.uk
