European logistics property specialist Segro has been announced as a strategic partner of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), with a commitment to invest £2 bn (€2.3 bn) over the coming decade to deliver next generation, net-zero warehouse facilities in the West Midlands.
As a strategic partner, Segro aims to deliver 13.5 million tt2 of sustainable warehouse space across the West Midlands by the end of 2033, focused on tech-enabled logistics facilities as well as purpose-built space for Research & Development and light manufacturing.
The development programme is expected to create up to 14,000 jobs across a wide range of employment types and industry sectors and will contribute significantly to economic growth and ‘levelling up’ for the region – two core aims of the WMCA.
The investment will be focused on a mix of warehousing types across the region. This includes the development of Segro Park Coventry - a 450-acre site that has planning permission for the construction of 3.7 million ft2 of industrial buildings and warehouses.
Segro will actively pursue whole life, net zero carbon development as its default approach, and will limit operational and embodied emissions so far as is feasible on each project. It also plans to develop approximately 2,700 affordable, easy-to-use, and easy-to-access electric vehicle charging points at its developments across the region.
David Sleath, Chief Executive Officer, Segro said: ‘There is a long-term shortage of modern, sustainable industrial employment space in the West Midlands, which is vital to enable the efficient movement of goods across the country, and to support high-tech Research & Development and manufacturing. By working closely with the West Midlands Combined Authority we can identify and unlock brownfield sites for development and deliver critical infrastructure that serves the whole of the UK, creating a diverse mix of local employment and supporting the creation of a more resilient economy across the country.'
