News: Updated plans for 715,000 sq ft speculative logistics development in Rotherham

Another set of updated plans for a huge distribution centre development alongside the M18 motorway in Rotherham have been submitted.

Outline plans were approved for "Interchange Park" at Hellaby in 2020 and applicants said that it could be home to over 1,000 jobs. Since then, Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has bought the Cumwell Lane site and gained approval for changes to the plans.

Now Panattoni has submitted a reserved matters planning application to Rotherham Council for a 715,000 sq ft speculative development, now-called Panattoni Park Rotherham, consisting of the 630,000 sq ft facility (a maximum of 21 metres high) and a smaller 85,000 sq ft facility (15 metres).

The 40-acre Panattoni Park Rotherham is located in an established distribution location, immediately adjacent to junction 1 of the M18 and just two miles from junction 32 of the M1.

Advertisement
The plans provide more details on the size, layout and appearance of the buildings, along with a landscape strategy and details of access within the site.

Both are proposed to be steel frame buildings with metal cladding in a palette of silver/metallic/grey, with feature entrances and glazing to the office elements.

As already approved in previous plans, vehicular access to the new units is to be via Cumwell Lane which is off the A631. A dedicated access road will be provided to both units from Cumwell Lane for HGVs.

The detailed scheme includes a total of 490 car parking spaces, of which 99 will provide for electric charging and 25 will be provided as accessible spaces. An additional 189 spaces for HGV parking is also proposed. Parking for 180 bicycles will be provided across the site.

Dan Burn, Development Director for the North West and Yorkshire at Panattoni, said: "We look forward to working with all stakeholders through the planning application process with the aim of bringing forward this nationally significant development."

Local occupiers include Great Bear, Clipper Logistics, DX and FedEx. Letting agents are M1 Agency, Legat Owen and Knight Frank.

Panattoni website

Images: Panattoni

Read more...

News: Updated plans for massive Rotherham development set for approval

Updated plans for a huge distribution centre development alongside the M18 motorway in Rotherham are being recommended for approval despite a large number of objections.

Outline plans were approved for "Interchange Park" at Hellaby last year and applicants said that it could be home to over 1,000 jobs.

Since then, Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has bought the Cumwell Lane site and has submitted further details and made changes to the plans.

The outline plans enable a 630,000 sq ft facility to be built along with a smaller 85,000 sq ft facility on former greenbelt land.

A report to Rotherham Council's planning board explains: "The developers wish to bring forward a Reserved Matters application [details not submitted at outline stage and "reserved" for later determination] as soon as possible, however with an amended access strategy which would include only two access points off Cumwell Lane, a main shared access for cars and HGV’s and a second access for cars only serving the smaller northern unit."

Changes to the parking strategy are also planned.

Advertisement
The changes put forward now are considered to be less than substantial and this application is to ammend some of the conditions put in place with the determination of the outline application last year.

Objectors believe that the changes are substantial given the removal of a southern access to the site but transport planners state that the assessment of the approved outline plans only looked at proposed access to Cumwell Lane and so have no concerns.

Objections also focus on car parking and HGV parking but these issues are likely to be considered at a seperate Reserved Matters application stage. Issues with the traffic surveys being undertaken during Covid and the impact of the nearby operation of Thurcroft Colliery have also been raised.

The planning officers are recommending that the planning board, which is due to meet this week, approves the plans as they do not consider that the removal of the southern access point to the site would lead to any increased air quality issues, would not create any additional impact on noise and general amenity for the residents close to the site and is acceptable in highway safety terms.

The report concludes: "This application to vary the original permission is considered to be acceptable in terms of highway safety and general amenity, and would not result [in] any significant additional impacts which would adversely affect the residential amenity of nearby residents or the wider community. It is therefore recommended that planning permission be granted subject to ... conditions."

Images: Panattoni

Read more...

News: Leading developer buys Hellaby site

Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, is taking forward plans for a huge distribution centre development alongside the M18 motorway in Rotherham - its biggest-ever speculative logistics building in the UK.

Outline plans were approved for "Interchange Park" at Hellaby last year and applicants said that it could be home to over 1,000 jobs.

Those applicants, Stretton Property Group, has now sold the 40 acre site to Panattoni for an undisclosed sum.

Founded in the USA in 1986, Panattoni has grown to become the world’s largest privately owned industrial developer.

The outline plans enable a 630,000 sq ft facility to be built along with a smaller 85,000 sq ft facility by junction 1 of the M18. Panattoni said that it is aiming to submit a reserved matters planning application in the next few weeks, with a view to beginning construction in the first quarter of 2022.

Advertisement
The development is part of Panattoni’s commitment to a significant speculative development programme in the UK in 2021 in response to strong demand from occupiers for immediately available space. The acquisition of Interchange Park increases the size of Panattoni’s current speculative development programme to around 4.2 million sq ft across eight locations across the North and Midlands, the largest of which are at South Normanton, Derby, Northampton and Crewe.

Dan Burn, development director for the North West and Yorkshire at Panattoni, said: "Our continued appetite for speculative development reflects the strength of demand from occupiers for immediately available space. In the first quarter of this year half of all take-up in the logistics sector was of speculative developments, driven by demand from e-commerce companies. And in the last 12 months alone, we have let more than 6 million sq ft of space.

"Having let our speculative Wakefield 515 development in May, we are delighted to have acquired this strategic site and look forward to bringing this nationally significant scheme forward over the coming months."

Letting agents at Interchange Park are M1 Agency, Legat Owen and Knight Frank.

Panattoni website

Images: Panattoni

Read more...