Construction has begun on DPD’s new £100m 330,000 sq ft parcel hub at Hinckley Commercial Park in the East Midlands.
The project is part of a £175m investment plan announced by DPD in November 2012 to cater for business growth for the parcel carrier, thanks to its Predict service which provides customers with a one-hour delivery window.
sbh is retained by DPD to advise on all property aspects of the company’s UK expansion programme including the construction of 11 bespoke parcel depots.
Employed as tenant’s representative, sbh acquired the freehold of the 33 acre site and developed the building specification which was a key part of the tendering and construction negotiation process. sbh will represent DPD during project management, monitoring construction and operational fit out of the building.
The new hub – the largest of its kind in Europe – will be around 470 m long. With an eaves height of 6.7 m it will include 6,790 m² of mezzanine split over two levels, 624 m² of office space, 267 dock doors and 2 level-access doors. The site will also accommodate a tyre and vehicle store, fuel island, vehicle wash, steam prep and salt barn.
Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO, said: ‘The new hub will look stunning. It will give us a state-of-the-art facility as well as the capacity we need to carry on providing the best service for our customers. This is a long-term strategic decision, based on our success in recent years and our projections for the online retail channel.’
Mark Wilkes, DPD’s Director of Technical Services, said: ‘Managing our entire UK property portfolio sbh is helping us to implement our long-term expansion plan. This investment in infrastructure and technology will secure not only the 6,700 jobs we already provide in the UK, but also create another 1,500 new jobs across the UK in the next two years. Delivery of this new facility is a vital part of our success.’
The Hinckley site is currently a hive of activity, with the ground leveled and installation of drainage well advanced. Foundations to the main hub are progressing well, ready for steel frame delivery in the forthcoming week. External service yard, retaining walls and car parks are also under construction.
Goodman is the developer and Winvic is the principle contractor. Beumer’s state-of-the-art parcel sortation equipment will begin to be installed in February 2014. The facility will be fully operational by 2015.
DPD’s three other hubs are located in the West Midlands in Smethwick and Oldbury.
sbh
Andy Melvin
Tel: 01992 780000
Email: andy.melvin@sbh.co.uk
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