Carpetright has consolidated its 13 distribution depots in the South East into one 492,000 sq ft distribution facility at Purfleet, Essex.
The company has taken Gazeley and Standard Life Investments’ Ultrabox development on a 25-year lease at a rent thought to be in the region of £7.25 per sq ft. The distribution facility is set on a self-contained 30-acre site providing a prominent M25 location with close access to the Dartford Crossing.
It boasts an eaves height of 12m and a floor loading of 50kN/sq m. It has 42 dock and 4 level access door and incorporates 30,500 sq ft of office accommodation arranged over ground, first and second floors.
It also features extensive landscaping designed to create an attractive and environmentally responsible setting for the building. Carpetright will base its Central Support Office and national distribution arm at the Purfleet site, which is expected to be operational by October this year.
The retailer currently operates over 500 stores and concessions in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, as well as 105 stores across Belgium, The Netherlands and Poland.
Lord Harris, chairman and chief executive of Carpetright said: “Carpetright is delighted to have secured this new distribution centre which will allow us to consolidate all our cutting and distribution facilities into one location and enable us to further improve customer service.”
Gazeley completed construction of the £65 million distribution facility in 2005 successfully delivering the largest spec build warehouse unit in the South East. It was funded by Standard Life Investments’ Pooled Pension Property Fund.
The brown field site is situated on Purfleet Bypass, near junction 31 of the M25.
