Near-£10 million new warehouse scheme approved for former Focus site in Daventry

Barberry Developments is proposing to build some 72,000 sq ft of warehouse space -- around one-and-a-half football pitches -- at the site of the former Focus DIY store in Sopwith Way in the town.

The Worcestershire-based firm, which bought the site for an undisclosed sum from New River Retail, has now seen its planning application for the 3.5-acre overall plot given the green light by Daventry District Council's planning department.

The site has been vacant for several years and Barberry says the project will generate around 90 jobs and investment to the area.

Barberry's development director Jon Robinson said: "We are looking forward to delivering a high-quality warehouse unit in the highly sought-after mid-box range in what is an excellent location.

"After gaining planning consent, we expect construction to begin in quarter three this year, with practical completion in quarter two of 2020.

“This will be a speculative development, demonstrating our confidence in both the product, the location and the appetite within the industrial and logistics sector for warehouse units of this size across the Midlands market.

“We are committed to executing our business plan in key strategic locations within the UK. We currently have a logistics/industrial pipeline of circa 2.8 million sq ft.

"All of our warehouses are available on both leasehold terms or as freehold purchases.”

The site is located at the established industrial estate of Drayton Fields, just half-a-mile from the A45, leading to Junction 18 of the M1 about 6.5 miles away. Other major companies near the site include Amazon, Tesco, Ford, logistics firm Wincanton and fuel business Cummings.

It is the latest in a growing portfolio of industrial and warehouse developments for Barberry, which recently completed warehouse units of 46,000 sq ft and 65,000 sq ft in Birmingham.

A Richardson Barberry joint venture of five mid-box industrial units totalling 174,500 sq ft has just been completed in Bristol and these partners have also been selected as the development partner for a £140 million business park with 1.75 million sq ft of accommodation at Aycliffe Business Park in County Durham.

In Wolverhampton, Barberry has gained planning consent to deliver a £6 million 55,575 sq ft speculatively-built industrial/warehouse unit in Well Lane.