ProLogis is to go ahead with the development of a speculative warehouse scheme in Kent, which it acquired as part of portfolio of properties when it took over Astral’s parent company Parkridge, earlier this year.
Astral and Apollo Real Estate were set to speculatively develop a 425,000 sq ft unit at the 630,000 sq ft Bronze Age Park scheme in Belvedere, Erith, Kent.
Planning consent was granted last year for three units of 85,000 sq ft, 125,000 sq ft and 425,000 sq ft. Construction was due to commence in March with practical completion expected in October. The balance of 10 acres is available for D&B.
The speculative unit will be cross docked with 30 dock and eight ground level loading doors; it will have two loading yards of 47m and 58m depth parking for 200 cars, 154 HGVs and 130 bicycle/motorbikes. It will have 360-degree access and two separate site access points within a secure fenced 20.32 acre-site. The building will have 12m eaves and six per cent office content.
The scheme will also include a new wetland habitat, a wind turbine and numerous other renewable energy saving measures and resources.
Jeremy Greenland of Astral Developments, said: “The 1.5m cubic ft capacity building will provide a long awaited platform to the market to serve the south east UK and particularly the southern half of Greater London without having to cross the Thames which is proving to be an increasingly difficult traffic pinch point to logistics service providers. This is borne out by the other major Belvedere occupiers which include Office Depot, Dixons Mastercare, ASDA and Iron Mountain who between them occupy some 1 million sq ft of modern high bay warehousing.”
