Hermes dedicated parcel hub in South Yorkshire has been given a resolution to grant by planning officers at Barnsley Council.
The proposals for the 339,827 sq ft building are part of an overall hybrid application being put forward by developer Newlands for a larger scheme, which includes a further 770,000 sq ft of distribution and storage space on a 132-acre plot on land west of Sheffield Road, Hoyland just off Junction 36 of the M1.
The Hermes Building will have 15 m eaves as well as 163 loading docks. It will have parking for 650 cars and 595 HGV’s of which 34 will have EV charging points and ducting for a further 130 together with designated car share spaces. Offices at the south end would be 3 storeys high.
The proposal is expected to generate over 2000 new job in total with 500 permanent jobs with a further 800 temporary/agency jobs at the proposed Hermes Distribution Centre, which would be operational 24 hours a day probably working three shifts. Of the 500 permanent jobs to be created (112 jobs) 22% will be management/team leader roles with a salary of between £23,000 and £80,000.
The works are expected to be undertaken in four phases with completion envisaged in 2021.
Newlands Development is sinking some £58m into the scheme with a further £30 million earmarked for infrastructure, which includes the creation of a new roundabout and linkroad.
Hermes has agreed a 20-year lease on the new mega hub. Cushman & Wakefield is advising Newlands Developments.
The application will be considered by the council’s Planning Regulatory Board on 20 October 2020 and is recommended for approval, subject to conditions.
A written report to the committee noted: “The site was always envisaged to appeal to logistics uses due to its proximity to the M1 and since then other commercial uses have become less resilient due to the pandemic and wider economic uncertainty. Accordingly, in order to achieve the substantial economic benefits arising from the proposal, there are no obvious alternatives to this type of proposal on the site.
“As such, given that the costs of funding the required infrastructure are so substantial and can only be met with a viable commercial scheme, these adverse impacts are considered unavoidable.”
