GLP signs JD Sports subsidiary for Bedfordshire warehouse

GLP has secured JD Sports subsidiary Focus International as a tenant for an 84,000 sq ft warehouse at G-Park Biggleswade, in Bedfordshire. Focus’s brands include ellesse UK, Yogi Footwear, Nautica Competition, Peter Werth, Fenchurch, Henleys, Ecko and Starter. The warehouse will be used for bulk storage and pick-and-pack processes, with additional office space used to ensure that staff can socially distance. G-Park Biggleswade comprises five facilities, including a 61,000 sq ft unit leased to SeeWoo Foods and a 97,500 sq ft build-to-suit distribution centre let to Dublin-based Zeus Packaging.  An additional 106,000 sq ft, speculatively developed warehouse remains vacant.  James Atkinson, development manager at GLP Europe, said: “This development, which completed in January of this year, highlights GLP’s ongoing commitment to offering high quality space for our customers in established logistics locations.  “The built-to-suit logistics warehouses on site illustrate the strength of occupier demand in the area and we have responded by speculatively developing a range of different-sized units to maintain flexibility for our customers.” The industrial estate forms part of Stratton Business Park, which hosts several tenants in the packaging, distribution, food and manufacturing sectors as well as a retail complex including M&S, Pets at Home, Boots, River Island, and Halfords.  A spokesperson for Central Bedfordshire Council, which negotiated the sale of the Stratton Phase 4 land to GLP in early 2018, said: “The addition to the existing business park of five high quality buildings, at pace, has attracted new businesses to Biggleswade and provided a significant boost to job creation in the town and beyond.” Adroit Real Estate Advisors, BNP PRE, and CBRE acted for GLP.  To send feedback, e-mail pui-guan.man@egi.co.uk or tweet @PuiGuanM or @estatesgazette