Planning and urban design consultancy Turley Associates has secured permission for a new 38,500 sq m regional distribution centre on land owned by the Trustees of the Barker Mill Estates (TBME) in Southampton.
TBME has worked with end user, Lidl UK GMBh, to bring forward a large-scale distribution centre adjacent to the M271 and M27. The scheme sits within the administrative areas of both Southampton City Council (SCC) and Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC), with permission being sought from both authorities. TVBC resolved to grant permission yesterday (30 January 2013), which followed the approval earlier in January from SCC.
The site is located on farmland on the edge of Southampton. Turley Associates successfully argued that there was a significant and pressing need to bring forward B8 floorspace in order to support the sub regional economy. The significant job creation together with the wider associated economic benefits were fundamental in persuading the local authorities to approve the departure from the Development Plan.
The building itself will encompass both ambient and chilled storage and has been designed to include a variety of sustainable features, including a heat recovery system. It will be developed to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’.
The development will significantly increase the efficiency of Lidl’s distribution network, providing a hub on the South Coast, which can serve its rapidly growing portfolio of stores.
Stuart Irvine, a Director in the Southampton office of Turley Associates said: “This is fantastic news and is the result of two years hard work negotiating with the local authorities to secure permission. The scheme is exceptionally well located in terms of its proximity to the strategic road network and the stores that it will serve.”
The scheme represents the latest in a series of permissions that have been secured for the Barker Mill Estate by Turley Associates, which include the 75,000 sq m business park, known as Adanac Park, and a 12,800 sq m private hospital.
Tim Jobling, Trustee of the Barker Mill Estates said: “We are very pleased to have secured permission for this scheme. It will make a timely boost to the local economy and deliver 400 badly needed jobs. We, as Trustees, have made great efforts in recent years to bring forward our land assets to meet essential employment and housing needs in the local area and we are proud of this latest achievement.”
