M&G Real Estate – part of M&G plc’s £71 billion private and alternative assets business – has pre-let a 252,500 sq ft industrial unit to Dutch e-commerce logistics company Active Ants on a 10-year lease.
The lease is for the second largest unit at M&G’s 40-acre Brackmills Industrial Estate in Northampton. The development consists of three units totalling 820,000 sq ft located within the Golden Triangle, an area in the East Midlands renowned for its high density of distribution facilities.
The asset – M&G’s largest speculative industrial development – is on track for completion in Q3 2022. The development has been designed to meet best in class sustainability criteria, delivering a BREEAM rating of Outstanding and an EPC A+ certification. M&G has committed to additional investment in the existing design that will further strengthen its sustainability credentials by incorporating extensive electric vehicle charging provision, solar-ready warehouse roofs, rainwater harvesting and a solar thermal hot water system in response to growing occupier appetite for the very latest in renewable energy and eco-focused technologies.
A subsidiary of the bpost group, Active Ants was founded in 2010 and has grown to become one of the largest logistics operators in the Netherlands with over 250 customers and more than 5 million orders per year. Brackmills will be Active Ant’s first fulfilment centre in the UK and follows its expansion across Europe after it recently opened sites in Belgium and Germany.
Michael Wood, Portfolio Director at M&G Real Estate, comments: “At Brackmills, Active Ants will be in a position to reach more than 90% of the UK population within four hours. The asset’s location is perhaps its greatest strength and, as the industrial sector grows ever more competitive, we have ensured that it can also meet the fast-evolving commercial appetite for industry-leading sustainable specifications. With this scheme, M&G is delivering on its commitment to providing high quality ESG-led schemes which meet the exacting requirements of modern occupiers, and we are delighted to be welcoming an innovative international operator with this significant pre-let.
“As demand for prime logistics space continues to grow, we believe a restricted supply of available product could present attractive opportunities to achieve rental growth and generate sustainable, long-term returns for our investors. We are therefore continuing to target large lot sizes and explore speculative development opportunities that will achieve our objectives.”
Active Ant’s fulfilment centre at Brackmills is due to open by the end of 2022 with the basis of the warehouse comprising of AutoStore – a unique system where stored goods in bins are ferried to employees for packing by Autonomous Mobile Robots using a framework of rails. This innovative solution makes the e-fulfilment process more accurate and efficient whilst also creating a pleasant working environment for employees.
Jeroen Dekker, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Active Ants adds: ‘’In our search for the right location and the right building, it was important for us to find a building that fulfilled our mission and values. The ‘outstanding’ BREEAM certification of the Brackmills Estate means that the building performs at the highest environmental level, which fits perfectly with our sustainable – and highly automated – way of working. Active Ants is committed to sustainable relationships with all its stakeholders: customers, employees, and the community.”
