Work has begun on a 430,000 sq ft warehouse and distribution centre for B&Q in South Yorkshire.
County-based GMI Construction Group has been appointed as principal contractor to deliver the seasonal facility for the DIY giant at Symmetry Park, beside Junction 34 of the A1.
B&Q has already agreed a 15-year lease on the bespoke building with owner Tritax Symmetry. The sustainable development, close to the South Yorkshire and north Nottinghamshire border, sits equidistant between Doncaster, Retford and Worksop, and will complete later this year.
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It is described as ideally placed to serve the North of England and the Midlands.
Mark Jacobs, director of property at B&Q, said: “We are planning to launch our highly sustainable seasonal warehouse and distribution centre in Doncaster towards the end of 2022. It will allow us to get more of the most popular products to B&Q stores, and quicker.”
GMI, which provides specialist design and build capabilities spanning multiple sectors - and is behind Siemens Mobility’s train manufacturing plant at Goole - has already started earth moving works as part of their groundwork preparations.
The major industrial and distribution scheme has detailed planning consent for 721,000 sq ft of logistics space and is already home to luxury dog food supplier, Butternut Box, which took a 151,388 sq ft facility on a 15 year lease in August 2020.
GMI has a longstanding relationship with Tritax Symmetry, the dedicated logistics development company for Tritax Big Box REIT, and was recently appointed to build a new 158,000 sq ft manufacturing facility at its new MA6NITUDE logistics and industrial development in Middlewich, Cheshire.
Andrew Hurcomb, GMI’s divisional managing director, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed main contractor by Tritax to deliver this major new facility for B&Q.
“Our team has already made an excellent start on site, and we look forward to delivering another high quality sustainable building that will not only prove an asset to this region but helps meet the growing demand from the logistics sector.”
Freddie Oakey, associate development director at Tritax Symmetry, added: “As an existing customer within the wider Tritax Big Box portfolio, we are pleased to have brought B&Q to this Tritax Symmetry development. Having a site with infrastructure already enabled and detailed planning consent in place allows us to provide a premium, bespoke and highly sustainable facility.”
