Robert Dobrzycki, CEO and co-owner of Panattoni, got before the UK national press this week with British prime minister Rishi Sunak paying a visit to a site in Swindon where the developer has broken ground.
Panattoni Park Swindon will comprise of 11 net zero carbon buildings totalling 7.2 mln ft for logistics, manufacturing and data centre uses. The developer is committing £900 mln (€1 bn) to get the scheme completed at the former Honda car manufacturig site.
Along with Swindon’s Members of Parliament, Robert Buckland and Justin Tomlinson, Panattoni CEO Dobrzycki was flanked by MD for UK, Matthew Byrom, and head of development, Southern England & London, James Watson.
Dobrzycki is CEO of Panattoni Europe and India - India being where the British prime minister's parents are from.
Infrastructure and demolition works have commenced and the construction for the speculative phase of development will begin later this year.
The British prime minister said: 'What we are able to celebrate today is one of the largest investments in the south, that is going to create thousands and thousands of jobs and that is fantastic for the local area.'
'A huge vote of confidence, not just in the UK economy but in the local area in particular.'
Dobrzycki said on social media: 'What a tremendous morning in the UK! I had the amazing opportunity to meet with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on site of our development in Swindon. This experience not only meant a lot to me personally, but it also marks a milestone in Panattoni’s history.'
'We are thrilled to announce the launch of a £900 mln logistics hub at the former Honda car factory, bringing 7000 jobs to the region. The Panattoni UK Team has been hard at work on this project since 2021, and we are excited to see demolition and construction works starting on the state-of-the-art 7 mln ft2 complex. Our roll-out plan spans over 5-6 years.'
Panattoni's Byrom added: 'It was great to welcome the Prime Minister today to unveil the ground breaking of Panattoni Park Swindon. What our commitment today of $1.15bn (£900m) into this project demonstrates, is that the UK post-Brexit remains a highly attractive place to invest; with its stable economy and political backdrop, it gives our capital certainty that our investment is secure.'
