Construction has begun on a new 42-acre industrial development in Ellesmere Port, including the largest speculative warehouse to be built in the UK this year.

Developer Firethorn Trust, has broken ground at Link Logistics Park, a former brownfield site which is set to be transformed into more than 760,000 sq. ft. of industrial space and the site is to be delivered to net-zero carbon construction with help from partner Winvic.

Within the development will stand a 655,000 sq. ft. warehouse, the biggest single cross-docked warehouse being developed in the UK this year.

The scheme’s base specification includes 15% rooflight coverage, Photovoltaic arrays, and is 100% commercial electric vehicle ready including 32 electric vehicle charging points. Up to 25MV of power will also be available from a local carbon-neutral ‘Waste to Energy’ facility.

The development has also been rated 'Excellent' by the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) a process to gauge the sustainability of a project.

Chris Webb, Partner at Firethorn Trust, said: "We’re delighted that work is now underway to deliver this landmark development, which is one of the largest speculative projects across the country to be built this year.

"Link Logistics Park is a prime example of our commitment to creating modern and sustainable logistics spaces, offering excellent connectivity, market-leading specification and best-in-class design features.

"The scope and scale of this development is reflective of Firethorn’s growing ambition and it’s a hugely exciting addition to our expanding national portfolio. We look forward to working closely with Winvic to bring the project to completion."

Danny Nelson, Director of Industrial, Distribution and Logistics at Winvic, added: "Following the completion of the enabling works at Link Logistics Park in Ellesmere Port, we’re delighted to be able to start on site to create over 760,000 sq. ft. of net zero carbon industrial space.

"Having worked with Firethorn Trust to deliver Ascent Logistics Park – an eight-facility net zero carbon project – in less than 12 months, we have a fantastic relationship with their team and aim to exceed their expectations delivering this landmark 42-acre development."

Immediately adjacent to Junction 7 of the M53 and within a 45-minute drive of Liverpool and Manchester airports, the multi-modal industrial development lies in close proximity to the Manchester shipping canal, just 22 miles from the Port of Liverpool, offering exceptional transport links to the UK logistics network.

All enquiries should be directed to the scheme’s letting agents, CBRE, B8 and Moriarty & Co.

For more information on Link Logistics Park, and to watch live progress on-site, visit https://linklogisticspark.co.uk/ .