June 6, 2011
Work is expected to begin next year on one of the UK’s biggest logistics parks and its largest rail linked Inland Port project after Helios Europe, the European specialist logistics developer, forged an alliance with both Shepherd Developments and SEGRO plc.
Helios Europe and Shepherd Aligned will co invest with SEGRO to take forward this £400 million development, situated at junction 3 of the M18 in Doncaster. The Rossington Inland Port will enjoy a unique status, having customs clearance and bonded warehouses on site.
Comprising up to 5.75 million sq ft of rail linked distribution warehousing plus an intermodal container facility, the project will provide major retailers and third party logistics providers with buildings that have both direct motorway access and direct rail to port container services. Building footprints in excess of 1 million sq ft are possible with flexible expansion options. The site already has outline planning permission which was granted last year.
Mike Hughes, CEO of Helios Europe comments: “Doncaster is acknowledged as a premier location for logistics in the UK and this project is core to our European wide business. The primary UK ports storage capacities are being stretched to almost breaking point through expansion, so there is substantial demand for intermodal inland port hubs of this nature. Rossington will provide our international clients with facilities that are truly transport ‘future proofed’.”
Mark Dinnes, CEO of Shepherd Aligned comments: “Rossington is a strategic project for the Shepherd Group. We are delighted to be partners with Helios Europe and with SEGRO in what is a major UK plc transport and logistics project.”
David Bridges, Business Director with responsibility for SEGRO’s presence in the North of England comments : “Rail served warehousing at Rossington has a major role to play in reducing carbon emissions and enhancing logistics efficiencies for our customers. Combining SEGRO’s resources with the resources, focus and delivery expertise provided by our partners will ensure the successful delivery of this strategically important scheme”.
The site will be accessed by a new link road known as FARRRs which has just been granted an £18 million grant from the Government under the RGF (Regional Growth Fund) programme. This road will link the Inland Port project to the nearby Doncaster Sheffield Airport operated by Peel.
The trio expects to submit a reserved matters application within 6 months to enable the first buildings to be available for occupation in 2012. The developers already have the major port operator lined up to run the rail cargo operation.
de Morgan & Co structured the transaction and has been appointed as adviser.
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