Construction has started on the 35-acre strategic rail freight interchange (SRFI) at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton Gateway.
As part of the development, Segro is investing £190 million into the required infrastructure, including the new interchange, and significant improvements to the surrounding road network.
Infrastructure work is being undertaken in partnership with Highways England, Network Rail and local authorities, with plans to be complete by the end of 2023.
When complete, the park will be a 450-acre state of the art multi-modal logistics hub, comprised of five million square feet of modern, sustainable warehousing and other logistics facilities.
The Park is located off junction 15 of the M1 motorway, with the construction of the first plots hoping to start later in the year, with groundworks on the site already being undertaken as work started in January 2020.
Managing director of national logistics at SEGRO, Andrew Pilsworth said “The World Economic Forum estimates that nearly a quarter of the UK’s population is expected to permanently change the way they shop following the pandemic and it is thought that e-commerce could rise from 19.2% to 53% by 2028.
It will only be possible for people to buy more goods online if they choose to and to have them delivered in a timely manner if we continue to develop high-quality warehouse space in the right locations, such as SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton Gateway. At this site, we will also have the added benefit of the rail freight terminal which will enable these goods to be transported around the country in a more sustainable way.”
The development is expected to create approximately 7,500 jobs when complete and will create a further 120 from related infrastructure work in its construction phases. Working alongside the local council and community partners, SEGRO is providing an employment and skills programme on the development to help the local community.
The site will include more than 80 acres of parkland and grass, 18km of footpaths, 20km of hedgerows and will plant 60,000 new trees.
Strategic rail freight interchanges are an integral part of the UK’s logistics network and contribute an estimated £1.7 billion to the economy. They can also help ease congestion, whilst being greener than road or air freight.
Image source- SEGRO
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