Construction has started on Barwood Capital’s ‘Trafford Gate’ – a 82,561ft² development one mile away from The Trafford Centre in Manchester.
Set for speculative development, the scheme obtained planning consent in May 2023 – 12 months after Barwood Capital purchased the site. Upon practical completion, which is expected in Q3 2024, Trafford Gate will consist of 11 units ranging in size from 2,000-14,252ft².
Barwood Capital is targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification and an EPC ‘A+’ rating for all 11 units. To achieve this, it will be installing photovoltaic (PV) panels on-site and offering the solar-generated power to Trafford Gate’s future tenants “free of charge”. EV charging points will also be installed across the site.
Jonathon Ellerington, Senior Investment Manager at Barwood Capital, said: “Trafford Gate is in a prime trade and industrial location, close to Junction 10 of the M60 Motorway and the wider road network. The completed development will also benefit from the nearby amenities at the Trafford Retail Park. The Trafford Centre is just one mile away, while Manchester City Centre is less than 10 miles from the site.
“As well as its strong location, the energy efficiency offered by these new buildings not only prioritises environmental responsibility, but will also assist in reducing tenants’ operational costs.”
In recent years, it has become increasingly important to ensure that new buildings not only meet today’s ESG standards, but are also prepared to meet stricter standards in the future. By 2030, property owners will risk fines if their facilities do not have a minimum of an EPC ‘B’ rating. This, according to Knight Frank, means that 60% of UK warehouse space could be unlettable by 2030.
The importance of this was alluded to by Tim Webber, Chairman and Managing Director of Barnfield Construction – the contractor for Trafford Gate. He said: “We are delighted to be on site delivering high specification units for Barwood Capital. The units will be fit for the future, meeting the needs of the modern-day occupier, providing quality industrial and warehousing facilities in one of the most high-profile areas of Greater Manchester.”
BC Real Estate and B8 Real Estate are retained agents for the scheme.
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