Verdion in partnership with the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) is to speculatively develop 680,000 sq ft of new warehouse space at its iPort multimodal logistics hub in Doncaster.

It will deliver four buildings ranging from 116,000 sq ft to 260,000 sq ft by Q3 2022. All will benefit from best-in-class specification, and highly energy efficient design. The first building – a total of 173,500 Sq ft – is expected to complete before Christmas this year.

The decision comes after Verdion’s previous speculative phase was completed in March this year, with the final two units going to Woodland Group and luxury homeware retailer Dusk.

iPort’s remaining 1.7 million sq ft includes capacity for specialist buildings of up to 800,000 sq ft sitting alongside its phased speculative space.

iPort is the UK’s most advanced multimodal logistics hub, with capacity for a total of 6 million sq ft of 24/7 of logistics and light industrial accommodation surrounded by green space close to Junction 3 of the M18 and the East Coast Main Line. Other occupiers include Amazon, Ceva, Fellowes, Lidl, Maritime Transport and Kingsbury Press. 

Its on-site rail freight terminal, iPort Rail, is increasingly being used by companies based on-site and across the region looking to cut carbon across their supply chains, with daily services to/from Southampton, Felixstowe and Teesport and more routes across the UK planned. iPort Rail has also become the UK’s first Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SFRI) to be given government approval for an on-site customs area, meaning businesses can now clear customs in South Yorkshire and move goods through the Channel Tunnel by rail in both directions, avoiding UK road congestion and sea port disruption.

John Clements, Executive Director of Verdion, said: “This is an extraordinary market, with no high-quality new space above 100,000 sq ft currently available in South or West Yorkshire and occupier demand remaining strong.

“This development programme steps up the pace and will deliver a range of new warehousing throughout the park designed to meet requirements across a number of size bands. Although many businesses will be driven by ecommerce sector growth and employment opportunities, we’re also expecting others drawn by the significant power available and opportunity to move into rail freight.

“Speed is going to be important, but these sites are already prepared for development with services installed and materials pre-ordered so we’re in a position to move quickly.”

Further details are available from leasing agents Gent Visick, Colliers and CBRE.