IT’S THE BUSINESS
HUGE £15m food logistics facility would create 50 jobs
A£15 million food logistics development creating 50 jobs has been proposed for Grimsby’s Europarc. Plans have been submitted for a huge new temperaturecontrolled facility, together with a three-storey office complex, as town family business HSH Coldstores looks to significantly increase its presence.
Developer Wykeland Group has applied to North East Lincolnshire Council for permission to build the state-of-the-art plant - covering 171,000 sq ft of the town’s flagship gateway site.
Jobs created in cold store operaations, stock and office administration as well as driving roles. Anthony Howard, managing director of HSH, said: “This expansion is needed due to increasing demand for storage from existing ng and potential new customers.
“I’m extremely excited that we’re re growing and Europarc is the perfect ct location, with its fantastic road links ks and other food-based businesses on site, for this exciting new facility. “We’re really proud to be working ng in partnership with Wykeland to invest in the local community and nd boost the economy.
“It’s fantastic we’re in a position to expand in the current climate, but ut it’s only possible because of the hard rd work and dedication of our whole le team.”
Grimsby has the largest concenntration of cold storage infrastructure re in Europe, holding both raw materirials - such as fish - and processed ed dishes ready to hit retail chillers. HSH has supported the food secctor for more than 50 years and nd already employs 130 staff, with three ee existing sites in the town, as well as further operations in Redditch, h Worcestershire.
Its sister transport company, SAL Commercials, operates more than 40 refrigerated vehicles across the four locations, collectively clocking up more than two million miles annually.
Earlier l this h year HSH b became part of the Constellation Cold Logistics network, with a majority shareholding acquisition seeing it join with similar businesses in Belgium, Holland and Norway under the control of Arcus Infrastructure Partners.
The Lakeside plans include 28 dk docking d doors f for the h ld loading and d unloading of goods and an 80-space car park equipped with electric charging points at the 12-acre site, to the right of the Europarc ‘loop’ entrance, close to Morrisons’ seafood base alongside the A180.
The proposed new facility will achieve h a BREEAM ““very good” d” rating for sustainability and is described as being able to “integrate aesthetically with existing buildings”.
If approved, HSH Coldstores is aiming for it to be operational by mid-2022.
The development is described as continuing the h l long-term story of f growth and investment at Europarc, a location of choice that has enhanced Grimsby’s reputation as a major modern centre for food manufacturing, processing, storage,
distribution and associated services - building on its fishing legacy. Wykeland has developed it in phases over more than two decades, with the most recent investments including two new buildings totalling 45,000 sq ft, the larger of which is now occupied by food packaging manufacturer Ultimate Group. Wykeland development director Jonathan Stubbs said: “We’re delighted to be working with HSH Coldstores to create a purpose-built facility that will enable a well-established Grimsby business to continue to grow and create new jobs. This proposed development will add another prestige facility to the business park and continue Europarc’s exceptional track record of retaining business and employment in North East Lincolnshire, as well as attracting significant inward investment to the area.”
Europarc now has more than 850,000 sq ft of developed business space, with more than 2,500 people employed on site.