Gateway 14 appoints agents for new 2.3m sq ft mixed-use and logistics scheme at Stowmarket

The development site, adjacent to junction 50 on the A14 at Stowmarket, Suffolk. Image: Sealand Aerial.

Gateway 14 Ltd, advised by its development manager Jaynic, has appointed property consultants Avison Young and Rapleys to market the 156-acre mixed-use and logistics scheme at Junction 50 of the A14 at Stowmarket, Suffolk. Jaynic was appointed as development manager earlier this month.

Strategic real estate advisor Avison Young has been appointed to market the overall scheme both in the UK and internationally and Rapleys has been appointed to investigate the roadside potential of the site given its immediate proximity to the A14. A further marketing agency appointment will be made in the near future with local and regional expertise to identify occupier demand in East Anglia.

Sir Christopher Haworth, chairman of Gateway 14, said: “We are moving ahead rapidly with Gateway 14 and realising our vision of delivering a multi-million pound boost for the wider economic area of Mid Suffolk. We are delighted to have Avison Young and Rapleys on board alongside Jaynic to deliver this very exciting scheme.”

Ben Oughton, development director of Jaynic, said: “This is a key site for Stowmarket, and East Anglia as a whole and with the help of Jaynic and the agents we are seeking to attract a mix of occupiers providing a range of employment opportunities that could create thousands of jobs for the town.”

John Allan, Director, National Industrial & Distribution at Avison Young, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed as lead marketing agent on this strategically important scheme for Suffolk.”

Alfred Bartlett, Head of Retail & Leisure Group at Rapleys LLP, said: “We are delighted to have been instructed to advise on this strategically located and highly prominent opportunity, and look forward to working with Jaynic to bring the development forward. Our appointment at such an early stage in the master planning of the scheme allows us to influence the layout, mix make up of occupier to reflect the market and more importantly adapt to specific operators’ requirements. We would encourage interested parties to make contact to discuss how they might be accommodated at Gateway 14.”

Gateway 14 Ltd, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mid Suffolk District Council and has just appointed Jaynic as the development manager for the scheme. This will provide up to 2.3 million sq ft of business, logistics and commercial accommodation over the next 10-15 years, with the first buildings being available in 2021/2. A planning application will be submitted by the end of 2020, to enable a phased development on the 156-acre site.

The masterplan layout is still being developed, however the site could accommodate logistics buildings up to 1,000,000 sq ft, with roadside uses alongside the A14 frontage, and headquarters office/R&D campus style buildings.

The site can support the growth of creative and technology businesses, a sector which is already important to Mid Suffolk, while also maximising opportunities for inward investment and job creation.

The A14 corridor is one of the principal trunk routes for UK logistics offering access from the Port of Felixstowe into the heart of the UK and it is also a primary route for export to European and world markets. The site is 26 miles from the Port of Felixstowe, 12.5 miles to Ipswich and the A12, and 45 miles to M11 and links to Cambridge.