Gazeley Properties - Industrial Development - Skelmersdale, Statham Road

Date: 08 Apr 2003

Gazeley Properties has acquired the site and started construction of a 32,197 sq m (346,571 sq ft) distribution centre for food and clothing superstore chain Asda, in the Lancashire town of Skelmersdale.

The £30 million purpose-built facility will create up to 550 new jobs with Asda, which has been acknowledge as the UK’s best employer*.

The building will be used to distribute chilled and frozen merchandise to Asda stores located throughout the north west of England. The centre is to be operated in conjunction with Asda’s existing facility in Wigan, which will continue to handle ambient temperature goods.

Located off Statham Road, the centre will be built on a 12.95 hectare (32 acre) plot comprising a 23,294 sq m (250,768 sq ft) warehouse, 2,190 sq m (23,572 sq ft) of high quality office space and a separate 6,713 sq m (72,231 sq ft) ‘environmentally friendly service centre’ for the cleaning and recycling of packaging materials.

Construction works have commenced with completion of the distribution centre anticipated for August 2003. Gazeley’s joint venture contractors, Simons GSE, are carrying out the construction programme. The total cost of the project, including the complex internal warehouse fit out, is around £30 million.

Planning consent by granted by West Lancashire District Council in January 2003.

As part of the development programme, Gazeley is implementing infrastructure works for the first phase of a new business park to be built on the remainder of the 47.75 hectare (118 acre) site. The works will include new estate roads, cycle-paths and a gateway entrance from Statham Road.

An extensive tree and shrub-planting programme funded by Gazeley will be put in to operation, creating an attractive green wildlife corridor, through the business park. The park, to be called XL Business Park, will bring additional investment and employment opportunities to the town.

This will be the fifth new distribution centre that Gazeley will have developed for Asda over a three year period; the other centres are located in Leicestershire, Bedford, Wakefield and Falkirk.

Commenting on the scheme, Don Morgan, planning director for Gazeley said:
“This major new investment by Asda will enable other companies to relocate to Skelmersdale which will be an excellent boost to the local economy.”

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