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01 Apr 2022

PLP to develop speculative big box logistics scheme in Stafford

PLP has acquired a 17-acre development site at Stone Business Park in Stafford and has announced plans to speculatively develop a prime 350,000 sq ft logistics warehouse unit, which will be known as PLP Stafford.

PLP Stafford involves the redevelopment of a redundant, and recently vacated datacentre into a new, high spec, big box logistics warehouse including over 20,000 sq ft of offices. The scheme will also include a separately accessed, secure service yard up to 67m deep, a car park with over 300 spaces and the retention and enhancement of the existing landscaping belt around the perimeter of the site.

Located on Brooms Road, the site is extremely prominent and the gateway to the well-established and successful Stone Business Park. It is highly accessible by road with the A34 dual carriageway adjacent and Junction 14 of the M6 motorway located only 5 miles to the south and Junction 15 of the M6 only 9 miles to the north.

A detailed planning application for the proposal was submitted to Stafford Borough Council earlier this month. Following planning approval and demolition of the existing building on site, construction will commence later this year with completion scheduled for Q2 2023.

The scheme will achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and, as with all PLP speculatively developed properties, will adhere to the UK Green Building Councils Net Zero Buildings Framework. PLP’s carbon net zero (CNZ) framework combines CNZ construction with CNZ ready design, to enable future occupiers to achieve CNZ operation by utilising built-in renewable energy features and procuring appropriate renewable energy supplies. This includes the use of solar photovoltaics, air source heating and cooling, LED lighting and electric car charging points. Future flexibility is also built into the design, with features such as a strengthened roof to enable full coverage of solar photovoltaics and underground infrastructure to facilitate 100% of all car and HGV parking spaces to have electric charging points.

The project is also forecasted to deliver a host of significant socio-economic benefits including over 100 additional jobs during the construction phase and over 500 new permanent jobs once the scheme is occupied. The completed and occupied scheme will also contribute additional GVA of £24.5 million annually to the local economy.

Keith Wilson, Development Director at PLP commented: “This is a great opportunity for PLP to bring this prominent and accessible employment site back into beneficial use. We’ve worked hard to design a fantastic, highly specified scheme that will appeal to the broadest range of occupiers but at the same time sit well within the surrounding environment. PLP Stafford will deliver significant investment and employment opportunities in the area and we look forward to working with the Local Authority to bring forward this development as soon as possible”.

Ajay Phull, Head of Investments UK at Ivanhoé Cambridge, said: "The acquisition of PLP Stafford forms part of our continued investment into the UK logistics sector. This acquisition aligns with our global strategy, with the logistics sector being one of our highest conviction themes".

WSP are the planning consultants for the scheme. Knight Frank and Avison Young have been appointed as joint leasing agents.