Former British Sugar site on Sproughton Road to be transformed into multi-million pound industrial/distribution park – creating ‘hundreds, if not thousands’ of jobs
The former Sugar Beet factory at Sproughton.
The former British Sugar site is set to be turned into a multi-million pound industrial/distribution park, creating hundreds of jobs, it can be revealed today.
Ipswich Borough Council has agreed to buy the Sproughton Road site after the plans were approved by the executive committee, and the exchange of contracts is “imminent”.
There are no confirmed occupiers for the land, but the council is confident its location next to a junction on to the A14 and the possibility of building a new rail line into the site make it a good prospect.
It is anticipated “dozens of companies” will be attracted to the site, potentially creating “hundreds, if not thousands” of jobs, a council spokesman claimed.
The 130-acre site has been vacant since the British Sugar factory closed in 2001 but the former silos remain, a reminder of its industrial past.
The site is just outside the borough boundary – in Babergh district – and one of the reasons Ipswich Council hopes to buy it is to safeguard the town centre.
Borough leader David Ellesmere said: “This is a very important industrial site for the town and the whole area, it is four times the size of Futura Park (the former Crane site where Waitrose/John Lewis At Home opened two years ago).
“We see it as providing vital space for new industries and to create new jobs – and we wanted to ensure there was no pressure to turn it into a retail park which would have been very bad for the town centre.”
The plans were approved by the borough’s executive during a closed session of its meeting, however conservative group leader Nadia Cenci opposed the decision.
“They don’t know for certain who would buy or rent. It’s playing casino with the taxpayers money.”She said: “It is risking millions of pounds not knowing exactly what needs to be done and what the environmental implications might be for that site.
Ms Cenci said the Conservatives would love the area to be developed but think it should be by private developers.
“It may very well be beneficial for the town but they are taking a risk. It depends who you think should be buying land like that, are Ipswich Borough Council in the business of property speculation on a land that is just outside our borough? I don’t think so.
“We should leave it to see who might be interested in this site and I don’t think we have done that.”
There was a bid for a mixed development including homes and business space 10 years ago – but this was turned down because the land is earmarked for industrial development.
The cost of the purchase would not be revealed, but it is thought to run into several million pounds.
A borough spokesman said it is seen as a strong investment, and they believe that with local ownership and marketing, it will provide a significant dividend for the authority in the years ahead.
New Port of Felixstowe Logistics Park; 10th December 2014
HPUK’s Port of Felixstowe has just announced that they are developing a massive Logistics Park just 100m from the Port’s newest berth complex.
See the site, meet developer Simon Jenkins and Port of Felixstowe CEO Clemence Cheng.
See the site, meet developer Simon Jenkins and Port of Felixstowe CEO Clemence Cheng.
NEW PORT OF FELIXSTOWE LOGISTICS PARK; 10TH DECEMBER 2014
New 68-acre logistics centre project launched by Port of Felixstowe to combat rivals
Simon Jenkins, Development Director of First Industrial (left) and Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Felixstowe, at the announcement of the Felixstowe Logistics Park
Richard CornwellWednesday, December 10, 2014
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Bosses at Britain’s biggest container port have announced the development of a huge new 68-acre project to provide much-needed warehousing space to compete with its rivals.
A computer-generated image of how the new 68-acre logistics park at the Port of Felixstowe will look when it is complete.
The scheme will see the creation of 1.45 million sq ft of warehousing, tailored to the needs of customers.
A full marketing campaign is already under way and talks are taking place with a nunber of interested parties.
The distribution centre will be built inside the 700-acre port complex with the first phase using the space left by the closure and demolition in recent years of the old Tank Farm bulk liquids storage centre and the Calor Gas liquid propane gas installation.
The second phase will involve demolition of Sheds 13, 14 and 82 and clearance of Sub Station Road and Road Hauliers Road, an area where leases expire in 2016, down to Trelawny House.
Newest rival London Gateway is proud of its enormous logistics park and the port, landowners Trinity College, Cambridge, and Suffolk Coastal officials have been working hard to identify opportunities for Felixstowe to increase its land for distribution warehousing.
Earlier this year Uniserve was granted consent for an 11-acre warehouse on Clickett Hill.
Clemence Cheng, chief executive officer at the port, said: “The new site that we are launching today has the key advantage of being located within the port’s perimeter. It is less than 100 metres from Berths 8 and 9 where we handle the world’s largest container ships, and only 500 metres from Trinity terminal.
“We expect huge interest in this site. The ability to create a purpose-built warehouse at the UK’s largest container port with all the advantages that brings is an exciting prospect for importers, retailers and third-party logistics providers.”
UNISERVE AND TRINITY COLLEGE PUSH AHEAD WITH FELIXSTOWE FACILITY
Uniserve Holdings Ltd and landowner Trinity College Cambridge have all the planning consents they need to push ahead with an exciting new facility at the Port of Felixstowe that is expected to provide a massive boost to international trade.
Uniserve has been granted permission for a 40 metre high, 47,664 sq m warehouse including state-of-the-art bottling and refrigeration plants to boost capability for onward goods.
With improved facilities for pharmaceutical goods, the development will have a positive impact on the burgeoning life science community in Cambridge and the broader region. Uniserve has swum at least that part of the Channel by persuading planners to back a much larger facility than originally envisaged.
Uniserve bought 27 acres of land at the UK main deep sea port in 2009 and at the time anticipated building a 21 metre high warehouse.
“However, we have designed and now been granted planning for a totally unique facility, spanning across four floors providing over 140,000 sq m of warehouse space and over 150,000 pallet spaces,” a spokesperson confirmed.
The facilities will be geared to rapid cross dock, e-fulfilment, garments, drinks, food stuffs, chilled and frozen products, furniture, pharmaceuticals, electronics and high valued products.
Uniserve will be able to offer highly competitive rental rates as well as transactional costing according to the services required. The development carries the bonus of creating an extra 500 jobs at the port.
The new logistics hub promises to be a huge asset to Felixstowe when it opens, possibly, in Q1 2016.
A planned coldstore will be especially relevant for importers of refrigerated cargo as the next nearest one to Felixstowe is almost in Cambridge.
http://felixstowedocker.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/felixstowe-multi-use-45m-centre-to.html
Felixstowe Planning - Landmark Case
On the 12th of March Uniserve were granted planning permission for a 40 metre high x 47,664 sq m warehouse at the port of Felixstowe.
Uniserve purchased 27 acres of land at the UK main deep sea port in 2009 and and at the time anticipated building a 21 metre high warehouse. However, we have designed and now been granted planning for a totally unique facility, spanning across four floors providing over 140,000 sq m of warehouse space and over 150,000 pallet spaces.
These facilities will be geared to rapid cross dock, e-fulfilment, garments, drinks, food stuffs, chilled and frozen products, furniture, pharmaceuticals, electronics and high valued products and Uniserve will be able to offer highly competitive rental rates as well as transactional costing according to the services required. Updates will be posted on the build as the facility progresses.
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