One of the UK’s leading property development and investment companies has submitted plans to develop over 50,000 sqm of warehouse and distribution units in Bedfordshire.
L&Q Estates – the master planners behind Wixams – has put forward an outline planning application to Bedford Borough Council as part of the employment quarter at a 14-hectare site.
The proposals include creating 52,000 sqm of storage and distribution units and ancillary offices to support the employment aspect of the original master plan.
New carriageways would also be constructed to create two new priority access junctions at the Wixams Northern Distributor Road near the Bedford Road/The Causeway roundabout and at the new Western Link Road connecting Watson Road with Wixams.
Landscaping would also take place with a mix of grassed areas and the planting of trees and shrubs.
Richard Edwards, Planning Director at L&Q Estates, said this would create significant jobs in the south of Bedford.
He said: “Our master plan has always had the objective of achieving a high-quality, sustainable residentially-led mixed-use environment.
“The site has a long and extensive history of planning applications relating to its use for mixed-use developments and this latest outline application is to create further jobs on the site.
“The Wixams Employment Quarter Site already benefits from planning permission for up to 31,000 sqm of employment floor space and this proposal aims to increase that by a further 21,000 sqm.
“The storage and distribution space would provide the main employment component of the original Wixams master plan and will help to deliver jobs to complement the housing.
“This is an outline planning application to deliver up to three buildings in the north-eastern employment zone within the site.
“The proposed offices will be positioned near the entrance to the estate road and would overlook the car-parking areas which will be screened through the use of fencing and planting.
“Office and warehouse traffic would enter the development by separate entrances to remove any potential conflict between cars and HGVs.
“This is another step towards creating an employment zone in part of the Wixams site and the developments would be in keeping with the area and its environment.”
Wixams is a new village of 4,750 homes, employment and retail space, primary and secondary schools, parkland and play facilities incorporated within four distinct neighbourhoods.
L&Q Estates, which was previously known as Gallagher Estates until its integration into the award-winning housing association and residential developer L&Q in February 2019, has been involved at Wixams since construction started in 2007.
If the outline planning application is successful, work is expected to start in 2020.
