Infrastructure contractor appointed at East Midlands logistics scheme

Developers of an eight unit landmark warehouse and logistics scheme totalling 1.4m sq. ft off junction 29a of the M1, have appointed a contractor for the off and on-site infrastructure.

Bolsover Land Limited, a joint venture between St Francis Group and iSec, have selected civil engineering and earthworks specialists, Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd, to carry out the £7m contract at Markham Vale’s Horizon29.

The contract, which starts this month with a 34-week delivery date, includes widening and improving Buttermilk Road, earthworks, screening, spine roads, emergency access roads, drainage, boundaries and provision of eco habitats on the 140-acre site which has already undergone extensive remediation and is now ready for plot development.

New access roads and an improved approach road will serve four development plots which will feature a range of speculative and build to suit premium industrial units from 113,000 sq. ft to 325,000 sq. ft to meet occupier demand.

The plots, on the site between Sheffield and Nottingham, are available on a leasehold or freehold basis.

Gareth Williams, Development Director of St Francis Group, a brownfield development and regeneration specialist said: “We and our partners, iSec, have a strong and productive track record with Buckingham and are delighted to be working together again to deliver significant road improvements and infrastructure works at Horizon29.

“This is an exciting phase for this landmark project. With the entire site now cleared you can really see the scale of development proposed at Horizon29, and infrastructure work is the next key stage, providing vital works access and shaping the extensive landscaping provision which will help set this scheme apart from similar developments.”

Around 1km of Buttermilk Lane will be improved including road widening, new plot access roundabouts, the replacement and upgrade of a river culvert and the demolition and infilling of the former Markham Branch Line road bridge at the site.

Nigel Lax, Director of iSec said: “Once the infrastructure work advances, the first phase of construction of the industrial and distribution units will potentially begin later this year, with units available for occupation 12 months later. The pace of demand for logistics space now is strong and premium space, such as this, is expected to see significant interest.”

Dean Warman, Managing Director – Civil Engineering, at Buckingham Group, added: “Buckingham Group has a strong track record in the design and construction of a wide range of infrastructure projects, ranging from minor road improvements to major infrastructure schemes and we are delighted to have secured this strategically important project that will serve the requirements of the East Midlands’ logistics sector.”

Buckingham Group, which has a host of regional offices including Doncaster, has previously worked with St Francis Group and iSec on the speculative and pre-let development at Horizon38 at Filton, North Bristol.

St Francis Group and iSec is working closely with North East Derbyshire District Council, Bolsover District Council, Derbyshire County Council and the D2N2 LEP that has provided grant assistance to the project.

Knight Frank Sheffield and CBRE Leeds are joint agents on Horizon29.