Premcor Estates (Premcor) has secured planning permission for its 43-acre Mode 18 development at Rossington, Doncaster, marking a significant milestone and paving the way for hundreds of future jobs and the start of much-needed infrastructure works.
Located three miles to the south of Doncaster, adjacent to the M18 Motorway and the iPort Logistics Park, the site enjoys excellent road and rail freight communications to the rest of the country.
Planning approval for Mode 18 concludes a programme of site assembly which began a number of years ago when Premcor commenced site negotiations.
Alongside gaining planning approval, Premcor has also completed the highly complex acquisition of land belonging to Tanks & Vessels (Tanks & Vessels Industries Ltd) – the long-established industrial operator occupying the site.
The hybrid planning application includes detailed consent for a 17.5 acre, EV-ready logistics yard which has been pre-let, plus an outline consent for a further 25-acre development site offering up to 450,000 sq ft of industrial, warehousing and logistics space.
The redevelopment of the site at Rossington has the potential to deliver more than 450 new jobs when completed.
As part of the enabling works a new link road giving direct access into the site from the main highway network is underway. Premcor’s construction of this key piece of infrastructure will create a dedicated route for HGVs and industrial traffic to access the new development and the wider Bankwood Lane Estate, re-routing it from the residential areas which currently suffer the negative effects of local commercial traffic.
C4 Projects, working on behalf of Premcor as architect and project manager for the scheme have instructed Howard Civil Engineering to begin works.
They are currently on site with practical completion of Phase 1, which includes the new link road and the pre-let storage site, expected in August 2026. The access road and Phase 1 elements of the scheme are valued at £27.5m.
Commenting on progress to date, director of Premcor, Simon Hawkins, said: “This was one of the first sites we were involved in after establishing Premcor, so it is hugely significant for us – we have invested a great deal of time and resource in getting to this stage. We acquired the site off market and have spent the intervening years on site assembly and planning.
“Achieving planning approval and starting on site represents a major step forward for Mode 18. With consent now secured, we can move directly into delivery and begin building the infrastructure that underpins the entire scheme.”
Aware of its favourable location, Premcor director, Rob Lane, said: “Rossington is superbly situated at the heart of the UK’s transportation network, so we are delighted to be at the stage where we can now unlock the potential of Mode 18 – so named because of its location on the M18 and A1M, close to its proximity of many transport modes, particularly the iPort Rail Freight Terminal and Doncaster Airport.
“This is one of the most complex projects we have undertaken – assembling the land, completing the Tanks & Vessels transaction and navigating a detailed hybrid planning route. With permission granted, we can now progress the pre-let occupier site and prepare the wider industrial zone for market.”
Tony Morris, Founder and Director of Tanks & Vessels, said: “I am pleased to see the scheme reach this stage and it is reassuring to see the site being redeveloped with long-term investment and purpose and I wish Premcor all the best with their development of the site.”
Guy Cooke, Senior Director, BNP Paribas Real Estate said: “This consent enables immediate progress on the ground while providing a clear framework for delivering up to 450,000 sq ft of best-in-class transport, logistics and employment space in Doncaster, which we will be launching to market imminently working jointly with the Sheffield office of Knight Frank. It is a carefully structured hybrid approval that reflects strong collaboration throughout the process. Doncaster City Council has been very supportive and we are grateful for their help throughout the process.”
Vincent Taylor, Investment Director at Doherty Baines who advised Premcor on the financing for the site acquisition, said “We were delighted to have helped Premcor secure financing for this acquisition with The South Yorkshire Pensions Authority. The first phase of the scheme will represent one of the highest spec IOS developments in the UK and will set a new standard for that sector.”
Andrew Stone, Assistant Director, Investment Strategy, South Yorkshire Pensions Authority commented: “South Yorkshire Pensions Authority is committed to achieving a place-based impact from a proportion of its investments, seeking the investment returns it needs to pay pensions whilst helping to drive economic growth in South Yorkshire. We are delighted to have been able to support this scheme within our development loans programme and look forward to seeing the benefits it will bring to Rossington.”
Premcor is a private development company based in London and the North East. It was established in 2018 by directors, Simon Hawkins and Rob Lane, who deal first-hand with all Premcor’s development activities.
The pair worked together at Terrace Hill (now Urban&Civic Plc) for over 20 years, completing nearly £2 billon of property developments in the UK across more than 25 schemes before establishing Premcor.
