IM Properties appoints contractor to deliver major scheme
IM Properties has appointed contractor Winvic Construction to help deliver its new Mercia Park scheme.
Winvic will work in partnership with IM 's in-house project delivery team to construct the scheme, including a 2.94m sq ft global parts logistic centre for Jaguar Land Rover which is being forward funded by Intermediate Capital Group (ICG).
Jason Jasper UK project director for IM Properties said Mercia Park was setting new records from investment to delivery in the industrial marketplace.
He said: “This is not only the largest single occupier deal ever to be agreed and funded but a major planning, construction and project delivery accomplishment. We 've taken a 238-acre site from zero to development ready in four years.
“To date IM Properties has invested over £70 million in the Mercia Park development including planning, civils and Infrastructure, which demonstrates IM Properties ability to promote and invest in bringing forward much needed employment sites. ”
The Civils and Infrastructure works includes an extensive earthworks programme and excavation and remodelling of 1.5 million cubic metres of material to accommodate the development plateaux and 3000m of screening bunds.
To move the amount of material onsite and reduce the HGV traffic on local roads, Winvic used a pioneering crawler excavator, one of the first of its kind in the UK which was capable of moving the vast quantities of earth.
Additionally, 7,500m of underground drainage was installed and utilities were brought in from up to 12km in either direction of the scheme to connect up with 14km of electrical infrastructure, 12km of mains drainage and 10km of gas infrastructure.
There is also a strong focus on green infrastructure and social value benefits designed to have a positive impact on the surrounding communities.
Jason added: “We 're planting 85,000 individual trees and creating 30 acres of woodland, equivalent to nearly one third of the site, including many semi-mature tree varieties, with recreational paths, cycleways and wetland features incorporated into the site 's overall design
“18 projects have also already been identified and awarded £90,000 from IM Properties £350,000 Mercia Park Community Fund, which range from grassroot projects such as restoring ponds and pathways to buying new goalposts and equipment for a girl 's football team. ”
The new global parts logistics centre for Jaguar Land Rover will include six buildings, ranging from 30,000 sq ft to just over one million sq ft, enabling the company to consolidate 19 warehouses in 10 different UK locations into one global aftermarket parts operation.
Andrew Reynolds, project director at IM Properties, said: “We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Winvic on this scheme as a trusted member of our supply chain.
“They share our ability to push the boundaries to find more sustainable, low carbon ways of working and engage with the local community to boost skills and training and deliver an extremely ambitious and complex scheme to the highest of standards. ”