Developer Chancerygate has started work on the construction of a new 270,000 sq ft Grade A urban logistics development on the former GKN Driveline factory site in Erdington, Birmingham.
Called Torque, the development will comprise 22 leasehold units ranging from 4,500 sq ft to 66,000 sq ft. Practical completion of the scheme is scheduled for the fourth quarter of next year.
The 12-acre site is located five miles from Birmingham city centre and in close proximity to junctions 5 and 6 of the M6.
Neighbouring occupiers to the development include Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo and Selco Builders Warehouse, as well as further retail and industrial parks.
All units at Torque will be fitted with electric vehicle (EV) charging points and have solar panels on their roofs, which will provide occupiers with green energy on an affordable basis.
The units are being constructed from high-performance building materials to reduce CO2 emissions and occupier operation costs. The scheme is targeting EPC A+ and a BREEAM Excellent rating as a minimum.
In September, the site was forward sold by Chancerygate and specialist sustainable and impact investor Bridges Fund Management to leading developer, owner and operator of industrial and logistics space across the UK, Indurent, for an undisclosed sum.
Chancerygate’s development director, Rob Watts, who is based in the company’s Birmingham office, said: “Works are now well underway at Torque. We, and our contractors A&H Construction, remain on schedule to deliver much needed Grade A urban logistics accommodation for Erdington and the wider region.
“We will provide Indurent and the development’s occupiers with sustainable, high specification space which will revitalise the former GKN site once more as a place of employment and economic activity.”
Indurent asset manager, Jack Dutton, added: “Torque represents exactly the type of high-quality, sustainable development we want to bring into our portfolio.
“Its strategic location near Birmingham, combined with strong ESG credentials and flexible unit sizes, will provide businesses with the space they need to thrive.
“We’re proud to partner with Chancerygate on this project and look forward to welcoming a diverse range of occupiers when the development completes next year.”
Founded in 1995, Chancerygate is the UK’s largest urban logistics property developer and investment manager and the only one operating nationwide.
In the UK, Chancerygate currently has around 2.1m sq ft of urban logistics space under construction or ready for development across 13 sites ranging from Manchester to Croydon.
Agents for Torque are BOX4 and Newmark.
