Gazeley Properties - Industrial Development - France, Magna Park Arras
Date: 05 Jan 2004
Gazeley Properties, one of the top UK specialist logistics property developers, has confirmed plans to develop Magna Park Arras, a state-of-the-art 152-hectare dedicated distribution centre in northern France. Gazeley expects to deliver the first buildings during the second half of next year (2004).
Magna Park Arras will be situated immediately off the RN50 near Arras, approximately 50 km southwest of Lille in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region at the northern most tip of France. The site is the largest of its kind in northern France and could provide up to 650 000 sq m of top quality distribution warehousing in 18 units ranging in size from 21 900 sq m to 100 000 sq m or even larger if required.
Gazeley has an option to purchase the entire 152-hectare site and has signed an agreement with local development agency Communauté Urbaine d’Arras (CUA) to purchase 25 hectares of land for the first phase of three buildings – ranging in size from 23 300 sq m to 37 250 sq m. Building permits for the first three buildings – which have been designed for Gazeley by Paris-based SAGL architects - have been approved. Using Gazeley’s fast track development process, G.Track, these buildings could be available in as little as 16 weeks.
Infrastructure works, being undertaken by the DDE (Direction Départementale de l’Equipement), are already underway and include a new interchange/roundabout providing direct access onto the RN50, which will be ready for use at the beginning of 2004, as well as Phase 1 site roads and servicing.
Magna Park Arras will benefit from excellent road connections. The RN50 will connect it to the A1 (Lille-Paris) and the A26 (Calais-Reims). There is also the possibility of a dedicated railhead leading off the nearby rail network.
Magna Park Arras will be the first of three such schemes in France, all based on the Magna Park concept pioneered by Gazeley at its highly successful Magna Park UK near Birmingham in England – the largest dedicated logistics park in Europe, which spans 700 000 sq m and has created more than 7 000 jobs. Magna Park Arras will be followed by Magna Park Pagny in France’s Bourgogne region and Magna Park Fos near Marseille.
The Magna Park concept is also being rolled out at strategic locations across Europe with schemes already underway or planned in Germany, Belgium and Spain. All Magna Parks are specifically designed for large-scale logistics users and distributors, with superb transport connections, top quality buildings and a masterplan designed to be environmentally responsible.
Comments Ian Worboys, Directeur Général of Gazeley France and Belgium:
“We’re delighted to announce plans for our first Magna Park in France. Magna Park Arras will be the largest dedicated logistics park in northern France and constitutes an important element of our planned European network of logistics parks.”
Comments Patrick Joosep from the Chambre de Commerce et d’industrie d’Arras (Arras Chamber of Commerce):
“Magna Park Arras is the result of a close public-private partnership between Gazeley, the CUA and the Chamber of Commerce. The project fits perfectly with the region’s development strategy, which is based largely on the long-term development of the logistics sector.”
The main contractor is GSE, based in Lille and Avignon.
Letting agents are FPD Savills in Paris (01 44 51 73 00).
Where do I go now?: » View the latest news items » View the news archive » Subscribe to Weekly Construction Newsletter » Submit news
