SGP celebrates latest completion at popular Leicestershire logistics park

Stephen George + Partners (SGP) is celebrating the practical completion of MPS8 which is part of the second phase of units at Magna Park South, Lutterworth, UK and Europe’s largest dedicated logistics and distribution park.

Working for client GLP, SGP has collaborated with contractor TSL to deliver MPS8, a 355,000 sqft warehouse unit with 28 dock doors and 4 level access doors. SGP’s design includes 19,800 sqft of office space with a second floor deck for additional space for future resilience, a 5,000 sqft transport office, gatehouse, service yard, car parking, and storage for 83 bicycles, plus infrastructure and landscaping. The unit has been pre-let to Unipart, a world leader in developing intelligent supply chains, who will be completing their internal fit-out.

Explains Arshad Khan, Studio Director at SGP’s Leicester office: “We have been collaborating closely with contractor TSL on the design development and continuing to use BIM modelling to keep on top of the changes and review build information quickly and effectively. Working with TSL on the first phase of Magna Park has allowed us to understand what the contractor may need and develop a good team relationship. This has been instrumental to delivering the unit from pouring of foundations to handover within 23 weeks.”

The site had considerable level differences between the entrance and the final floor level, necessitating a robust retaining wall design and careful co-ordination of services and utilities across the car park.

MPS8, along with the rest of the warehouses on phase 2, are designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent. As part of that, SGP’s masterplan includes a 3m wide combined footpath and cycle way to allow safe cycle access to every unit, with MPS8 having a dedicated cycle entrance separate from cars and lorries. Although the site is designed to maximise useable commercial space, SGP has identified areas of external amenity space to allow for landscaping and seating for staff.

SGP’s design uses GLP’s brand specifications of a cladding panel system with a palette of blue tones, creating a group of buildings that share a holistic look and identity for GLP warehouses across the country.

Explains Marcus Madden-Smith, Partner at SGP: “The logistics sector is very active and prime sites like Magna Park South are in high demand. Units 5 to 7 are expected to completed in November and SGP are working on the next phase – three units of 100,000 sqft to 350,000 sqft.”

SGP has masterplanned approximately 3 million square feet of warehousing and ancillary office space adjacent to the established Magna Park logistics hub, which sits in a prime location at the heart of the logistics “Golden Triangle” with excellent transport links to the M1, M6 and M69, and the wider UK motorway network.