Member Article

Travis Perkins Group to open Warrington logistics centre

Construction plans have been approved to build a 700,000 sq ft logistics centre at the Omega Warrington Limited (OWL) site for the Travis Perkins Group.

Warrington Borough Council signed off permission for the regional base to be set up on Omega North, where Travis Perkins will join companies Brakes and Hermes, who already keep their logistics centres at the site.

Travis Perkins is the UK’s largest supplier to the building and construction sector, and will contribute to a total investment of over £100m and the creation of 1,400 full time jobs at the OWL site, alongside Brakes and Hermes’ existing investment.

Work on the £35m logistics centre is expected to end in 2014, with operations planned for the following year.

Warrington Council’s leader, Cllr Terry O’Neill, commented: “From what was an empty site in autumn last year, it is amazing to think that by the end of this year, Omega North will only have space left for around 100,000sq ft of development.

“This endorses and reaffirms the confidence that business has in Warrington as an investment location and that Warrington is the place to be.”

Travis Perkins’ new centre is expected to support approximately 450 jobs around the Omega site, while only two further plots remain for developments at the Warrington park.

Andrew Sutherland, who is a joint managing director at Miller Developments, partner of OWL, said: “We are delighted to have been given the green light by Warrington Borough Council for the construction of Travis Perkins Group’s regional logistics centre at Omega North.

“This marks another important step in a very short period for the on-going development of the site and we are pleased the flow of activity is continuing to progress at pace, reinforcing Omega North’s position as a major logistics hub.”

OWL is a joint venture taken on between Miller Developments and KUC Properties, along with Omega’s landowners, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and support from Warrington Borough Council and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership.

The HCA commented: “It’s good to see yet more progress on the Omega North site. The permission to move forward with the logistics centre is great news and highlights how we are working together as partners to generate investment and create jobs.”

Geoff Cooper, Chief Executive of the Travis Perkins Group, added: “This is an exciting time for the entire Group. We always work hard to put our customers first, and this is another important development.

“We are growing our already extensive product portfolio, and our new RDC in Warrington will enhance our offering by improving the supply of products to our branch network.

In April this year, Warrington Council also announced approval for a 600,000 sq ft development on Omega South for OWL and Bericote Properties, although an occupier has not yet been named.

The remaining sites on Omega North can meet the requirements of up to 50,000 sq ft of logistics space, and Warrington Council said they have already experienced robust interest in the plots.

JLL, GVA and Addleshaw Goddard acted for Omega Warrington Ltd and Chetwoods are the architects. The Travis Perkins Group was advised by CP Property Consultants, Bourne Partnership and BSDR.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .