Pall-Ex plans for a new distribution centre and national headquarters one step closer
Planners have recommended approval for the development of Pall-Ex’s new £80 million distribution centre and national headquarters in Leicestershire ahead of a planning committee meeting this week despite circa.150 objections.
By Liza Helps, Property Editor, Logistics Matters
PLANNERS BELIEVE the scheme ‘has demonstrated that it would significantly contribute to the economic growth and job creation and provide environmental and social benefits. These benefits are considered to outweigh the harm identified to the open countryside and therefore weigh in favour of the development’.
Developer Barberry agreed a 25 -year pre-let with the pallet network operator to build the Group HQ and flagship hub operation prior to submitting planning on a 35-acre site in Bardon.
The cutting-edge, state-of-the-art freight distribution hub in Leicestershire will cover 408,000 sq ft, with an additional 100,000 sq ft canopy.
It will serve as the flagship logistics hub for the network and will house Pall-Ex’s UK and European headquarters. Pall-Ex said the facility would ‘revolutionise operational excellence and sustainability’
Pall-Ex Group Chief Executive Officer Kevin Buchanan, views the construction of the new HQ as a pivotal stage of the company’s strategy to revolutionise the way the network operates in terms of sustainability and operational excellence.
He said: “Our new, multi-million-pound, cutting-edge Centre of Excellence isn’t just about expansion and growth – it’s about redefining the industry through technology, quality, and state-of-the-art infrastructure. As a market leader, we are immensely proud to unveil plans for premises that will be A+ rated, carbon-neutral, and built for the future.”
It will be built to achieve an EPC A+ and BREEAM Excellent accreditation.
Once complete, it will be the first purpose-built facility in the pallet network sector in the UK to be energy self-sufficient.
The proposals show it is expected to create around 500 construction jobs and an estimated 534 permanent jobs. Work is scheduled to start on site in Q4 this year, subject to planning.
