The Co-op secures planning consent for new distribution centre
The Co-op has secured planning consent for a new 661,000 square foot regional distribution centre to support its growth plans for London, the South and South East.
Situated just off the A1 at Symmetry Park in Biggleswade, the new facility will also serve the retailer’s existing stores in the region. It is expected to open in early 2022 and will create up to 1,200 jobs.
Symmetry Park covers around 50 acres and was purchased by developer DB Symmetry in the summer of 2017. It has been granted detailed planning consent for up to one million square feet of logistics space. Contracts were originally exchanged between DB Symmetry and the Co-op in November 2018, conditional on full planning consent.
Andy Perry, supply chain and logistics director at the Co-op, said: “The infrastructure and site selection will deliver greater agility, scale and efficiency – improving service and availability at existing stores while building capacity to support our store investment programme and ambitions for continued growth.
“The new site will provide greater scale while future-proofing our operations. The move will reduce road miles and overall supply chain costs while supporting our new and existing stores in the South and South East of England by having more of our products closer to our members and customers and the communities in which they live and work.”
Last August, the Co-op also opened a new £6 million distribution centre at Inveness Airport Business Park.
