By Kate Titchmarsh
Vauxhall’s former aftersales warehouse in Luton, Bedfordshire, is to be transformed into a 1.2 million sq ft industrial and logistics park after Goodman secured outline planning permission for the development.
Goodman will regenerate the existing site and take a circular approach to construction, focusing on minimising waste and resources in delivering Goodman London Luton. The development is targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and A+ EPC, while planned sustainability features and investment in renewable energy technologies such as full rooftop solar photovoltaic panels (PV) will support customers in achieving their sustainability goals.
Customers looking to increase productivity will benefit from the flexible space on offer, ranging from 200,000 sq ft up to 1.2 million sq ft. Strategically located next to Junction 11A of the M1 and just 17 miles from the M25, the highly sustainable commercial park will help unlock supply chain efficiencies, providing excellent connectivity to Greater London and the Midlands while placing 30.5 million consumers within a two-hour drive*.
In addition to the area’s large consumer reach, Luton provides access to an available workforce with a strong skills base. With transportation and logistics accounting for 10.8 per cent of jobs in the area, compared to the national average of 5.1 per cent, customers can benefit from a talented local labour pool, supporting staff recruitment.**
Nigel Dolan, Development Director at Goodman, said: “Goodman London Luton will combine sustainably-designed warehouse space with a high-quality commercial park setting, providing customers with modern facilities in an attractive workplace environment.
“The development will have access to 7MVA of power, enabling a high degree of technology and automation. We’re making a significant investment in on-site renewables including full rooftops of solar PV to drive power efficiencies for our customers and help reduce carbon emissions. Rainwater harvesting and electric vehicle infrastructure will also be provided to further support sustainable operations.”
Deconstruction of the existing facility is now underway and set for completion in June.