Delivery company DPD has signed a 25-year lease on a new built-to-suit 63,000ft2 warehouse unit in Durham.
The unit is located at West Midlands-based property company Richardson Barberry’s eight-acre Forrest Park site and, according to Richardson Barberry, is ‘ is expected to safeguard 125 jobs for County Durham and generate up to another 250 jobs’.
The developer and investor has ‘already secured reserve matters planning consent and intends to submit a S73 minor amendment, specific to DPD’s building, imminently with a view to starting construction on site in Q1 2025’.
It says the ‘Grade A’ building will be ‘built with sustainability in mind’ to BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standards.
Jon Robinson, development director at Barberry, said: “This is a major pre-let to DPD, an internationally-recognised occupier, which demonstrates the quality of our proposed development at Forrest Park, its connectivity and proximity to the motorway junction, nearby demographic and availability of labour.
“The pre-let will allow us to open up the site and create additional estate infrastructure and development plateaus. This is an exciting moment for the North East, Richardson Barberry and Forrest Park.
“We are thrilled to have agreed a 25-year lease with DPD. This deal has already prompted other potential occupiers who have shown interest in Forrest Park. We can deliver building opportunities on both freehold and leasehold terms from 30,000 ft2 up to 1 million ft2.
“Newton Aycliffe is a highly attractive location for a range of major businesses due to its access to a skilled labour demographic and it is testament to the quality of Forrest Park that we have agreed pre-let terms with such a major occupier as DPD.”
Louise Ferguson, head of property for DPD Group UK, added: “We are absolutely delighted to agree terms for a new, purpose-built DPD distribution centre at Forrest Park. It is a great location for us. The new facility is part of DPD’s aim to be the most sustainable delivery company in the UK and a leader in the move to electric delivery vehicles.
“We have invested heavily in our regional network in the last 10 years to meet the huge increase in demand for our services and this new facility will allow us to offer an even better service to the area, with more efficient fleet, shorter journeys and lower emissions.”
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