North West Leicestershire Council gained first-hand experience of the positive impact a new strategic site is having on the region during a recent visit to IM Properties’ Mercia Park.
The site is the location for Jaguar Land Rover’s new 2.94 million sq ft global logistics centre, near junction 11 of the M42, which when fully operational will create up to 3400 jobs including those from freight forwarder, DSV.
IM Properties is committed to delivering both social and economic benefits to the region, including a £350,000 Community Fund.
The site visit showed IM Properties and Winvic’s pledge to deliver employment and skills in action with training sessions taking place in both their Future of Construction Training Centre and Sustainability and Innovation Hub (SIH).
Both training centres are being made available to local colleges, schools and third-party training providers to provide practical experience on working on a live construction site.
Winvic’s SIH features an interactive meeting room and training space, including 3-D virtual reality and modelling to showcase the development’s sustainability credentials and digital advancements.
The SIH will aid the design process in a real-time scenario by facilitating design team meetings and workshops between Winvic, IM Properties, consultants and suppliers.
Richard Blunt, Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council said it was great to see first-hand the approach to zero carbon and sustainable development Mercia Park was championing.
“Mercia Park is an example of how a development can make a range of significant contributions to an area, both in terms of employment and community infrastructure. The green credentials of the development are very positive. As a council we are committed to being Zero Carbon by 2030 and we want others to follow our lead. To see the sustainability at Mercia Park is very inspiring.”
David Smith, planning director for IM Properties added: “It is great to see the commitments we made at the planning stage of the project, being turned into reality.
“It has been an incredibly difficult period in which to mobilise these activities, however our creative thinking, partnership approach, persistence and passion to maximise the employment and skills outcomes associated with the project, is beginning to yield some very positive outcomes.
“Winvic is particularly proactive and we are delighted to be able to host their first Sustainability and Innovation Hub to showcase our joint ambitions to deliver net zero in construction on site as part of our overall commitments as a business to achieve new targets for improving our carbon footprint over the next decade.”
Winvic’s technical director, Tim Reeve, who sits on the company’s Sustainability Leadership Team, commented: “The Sustainability and Innovation Hub – the second facility we have launched with IM Properties at Mercia Park in a matter of weeks – is testament to both the company’s commitment to the future of construction, which has sustainability and innovation at its very heart. We can’t thank IM Properties – and our suppliers – enough for their willingness to drive this initiative in partnership with us.”
