Mid Suffolk District Council has granted planning permission for a new 164,500 sq ft manufacturing and warehouse development on the state-of- the-art Gateway 14 business, innovation and logistics park adjacent to Junction 50 of the A14 in Stowmarket.
The application had been made by property developer Jaynic, in partnership with Gateway 14 Ltd – a wholly owned subsidiary of Mid Suffolk District Council.
Ben Oughton, Jaynic development director, said: “We submitted the planning application speculatively in order to maintain momentum of delivering further high-quality buildings for this prime A14 scheme. It means we can have the next building ready for an occupier within 9-12 months on a freehold or leasehold basis for B2 (manufacturing) or B8 (distribution) uses. The size of the unit is influenced by current demand and is well suited to this prime position at the entrance to Gateway 14”.
Sir Christopher Haworth, Chair of Gateway 14 said: “We are very pleased finally to achieve planning consent for this high quality, sustainable proposal, which will provide a gateway building to the park. With the Skills and Innovation Centre moving forward, and a number of other new occupiers coming to the site, the immediacy of the availability of this building is key to satisfying the growing demand for accommodation in this important location.”
Plans for the new unit were shared with neighbouring communities, district and parish councillors, and the chamber of commerce, through stakeholder briefings – with considerable emphasis on the quality of architecture and Gateway 14’s commitment to the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) agenda.
Sustainability was a central feature of the application with a design to BREEAM excellent which includes an EPC A rating, EV charging, LED lighting, solar PV, smart energy systems and rainwater harvesting, delivering low carbon and net zero solutions where possible.
Biodiversity is also a priority, with high-quality landscaping, green corridors and nesting boxes all being introduced to support not only the wildlife and ecology but also to create a vibrant, attractive, and healthy working environment for employees.
Gateway 14 is set to provide up to 2.36 million sq ft of development opportunities for R&D, manufacturing, and logistics businesses.
The park is already home to a new 1.17m sq ft distribution centre for garden and leisure retailer The Range that will take occupation this summer. Also, agreement has been reached with two businesses specialising in the manufacture of sustainable and eco-friendly building materials to move to the site occupying two buildings totalling over 130,000 sq ft.
And funding of £18.8m has been agreed this week to create a 35,000 sq ft Skills & Innovation Centre at Gateway 14 in Stowmarket to be developed by Mid-Suffolk Council’s wholly-owned subsidiary Gateway 14 Ltd in partnership with developer Jaynic, being the latest development there to support business, create jobs, and boost the local economy.
Mid Suffolk District Council’s plan for the new three-storey centre at Gateway 14, part of the Freeport East site, includes office space for high growth start-ups, collaboration spaces, training and meeting rooms, as well as a café.
Freeport East agreed £16.66 million funding for the state-of-the-art centre in March, and Mid Suffolk’s Cabinet agreed an updated funding strategy to meet the remaining costs.
Gateway 14 benefits from being part of Freeport East, one of only eight freeports in the UK. The freeport status will provide many businesses on Gateway 14 with a range of benefits including a suite of tax reliefs and simplified customs arrangements.
Agents for Gateway 14 are Savills and Avison Young, and further land is available for design and build units on a bespoke basis.
For more information, please visit and www.freeporteast.com.