Panattoni secures 630,000 sq ft pre-let to Alliance Automotive Group in Rotherham

Panattoni, the largest logistics real estate developer in the UK and Europe, has signed a pre-lease agreement with Alliance Automotive Group (“AAG”), a leading distributor of passenger and commercial vehicle parts, with significant international brands such as NAPA, BOSCH, Apec and FPS for a 630,000 sq ft facility at Panattoni Park Rotherham.

AAG has signed a 25-year lease for the facility, which will be one of the largest-ever speculative logistics buildings in the north of England.

Construction of the facility along with a smaller 80,000 sq ft unit, has just begun, with completion expected in August 2023. They will be built to a minimum BREEAM sustainability rating of ‘Very Good’ and an EPC rating of ‘A’.

The Park is located next to junction 1 of the M18 at Rotherham, the 40-acre Panattoni Park Rotherham bridges the last mile to the 1.4 million consumers of the Sheffield city region.

Dan Burn, Head of Development, North West &Yorkshire at Panattoni, said: “This major pre-let to AAG endorses our continuing commitment to a significant speculative development programme across the UK and our continued confidence in the logistics sector.  We look forward to working with AAG over the coming months as we bring significant investment and employment opportunities to Rotherham”.

Steve Richardson, AAG’s Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Panattoni to secure this new facility for our FPS business. We’ve experienced significant growth since acquiring FPS in 2016 and this investment not only allows us to consolidate our three existing facilities in Sheffield, but also forms part of our wider programme to strengthen our distribution infrastructure to ensure we are prepared for future growth.

“This will be a purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility, integrating best-in-class logistics operations with advanced technologies to put us at the forefront of aftermarket distribution.  As we move forward customers can expect an even wider product offering alongside market leading service and support. It’s an exciting next step in our journey and we expect the new facility to be operational in the first quarter of 2025”.

Letting agents are M1 Agency, Legat Owen and Knight Frank.