Birlea expand into new 74,000 sq ft unit at EMDC

Sarah Leach of Birlea Furniture, with Paul Shanley, CWC Group Director

Clowes Developments (UK) Limited have confirmed that they have agreed terms to construct a new warehouse facility for Birlea Furniture at their flagship East Midlands Distribution Centre, Castle Donington, Junction 24, M1.

Birlea Furniture already occupy approximately 85,000 sq ft on the site and the new 74,000 sq ft facility will be alongside their existing premises and will help them to continue the expansion of their growing online and wholesale furniture business.

It is understood that Birlea are purchasing the new facility which will be completed in June 2017 with groundworks now underway on site.

Paul Shanley, CWC Group Director confirmed: “We are very pleased to have agreed another deal with Birlea Furniture. It is very pleasing to see a company continue their organic expansion on one of our sites with this being the third sale that we have agreed with Birlea over the past five years”.

Jake and Joe Magill, joint Managing Directors of Birlea, confirmed: “EMDC is the ideal location from our perspective. It is close to our original roots in Beeston and Long Eaton, with the site plugging directly into the major road network via the A50 and the M1 at Junction 24. Our growing online business means that we need to be able to dispatch goods throughout the country within 24 hours and being at the heart of the UK is ideal as we can hit over 80% of the country’s population within a two hour drive time. Having an existing working relationship with Clowes also gives us to comfort to know that we will have a quality building delivered”.

John Proctor at FHP Property Consultants in conjunction with Savills acted for Clowes Developments, with Sean Bremner at CPP advising Birlea Furniture. John commented: “Junction 24’s continued growth over the past 15 years means that it is one of the most strategic locations within the East Midlands for Distributors. The road network, the proximity of the Airport and East Midlands Parkway Station all provide an integrated transport solution which has led to Marks and Spencers and Aldi choosing Junction 24 as part of their strategic UK distribution network with the stature of the location further enhanced by the deals with Moran Logistics whose 115,000 sq ft facility is currently under construction and due for completion in March and this new facility for Birlea”.

GF Tomlinson of Derby have been appointed as Contractors with the regional collection of professional and contracting team being completed by the involvement of Gateley’s Leicester office who acted on behalf of Clowes and Freeth’s Nottingham Office acting on behalf of Birlea Furniture.

EMDC continues to be marketed by FHP and Savills with the site still having the ability to cater for buildings ranging in size between 40,000 sq ft and 550,000 sq ft, full information being available from the Joint Agents.