A leading infrastructure, transport and property investment group has confirmed the first tenant of its multi-million pound Manchester development, after council planners cleared the way for it to push on with the logistics scheme.
In 2009, the Peel Group was granted permission for road and rail infrastructure for its proposed National Import Centre at Port Salford. Work on the £138m rail, road and shipping terminal was only allowed to go ahead after the developer agreed with a Salford City Council request to complete all the land links first.
But a decision last week to grant Peel permission to press ahead with a 280,000 sq ft logistics hub and warehouse for the specialist food and drinks supplier, Culina, has angered several local politicians. Barton councillor, John Mullen, and Irlam councillor, Roger Jones, both opposed the amendment application claiming that without the infrastructure in place local roads could become heavily congested with traffic.
Peel’s request for a change in the existing planning permission related to Condition Nine that the rail link should be completed before any businesses started to operate from the site and Condition 10 that the new road leading to the site be finished before any businesses start operating.
Defending its decision the authority’s assistant mayor for strategic planning, Derek Antrobus, said: “This is the first investment at Port Salford from a logistics company wanting to take advantage of this unique rail, road and port facility. It is bringing much needed jobs to Salford and we welcome the investment.”
Peel Holdings’ director of development, Matt Fitton, also justified prioritising the distribution scheme saying that Culina wanted its new base completed by April next year and fully operational by the end of 2016. Construction of the new warehouse is scheduled to start within weeks.
“The planning approval for the 280,000 sq ft distribution unit pre-let to to Culina Group will create 280 jobs and is the catalyst for the Port Salford development, which will ultimately become one of the UK’s most significant multi-modal facilities,” explained Fitton.
“This facility will also be the first unit developed within the Peel Logistics initiative and further emphasises both the strength of our regional logistics market and the opportunity that Peel Ports’ £300m investment in Liverpool2 will offer to occupiers.”
Port Salford is being developed by the Peel Ports’ sister company Peel Land and Property. The site, adjacent to the Manchester Ship Canal, will allow direct access from the new Liverpool2 terminal.
“For global logistics companies, the ability to move containers up the Manchester Ship Canal from Liverpool to sites such as Port Salford is highly appealing and we are delighted to announce Culina as our anchor tenant,” Fitton added.
Culina Group chief executive, Thomas Van Mourik, welcomed the council’s decision, adding that: “Culina Port Salford will give us a real strategic foothold in the North West, enabling us to manage the growth of our existing clients, bring even more new business on board and create a substantial number of jobs in the region.”
Previous Post
Birmingham Industrial and Campus Portfolios for sale
