SGP masterplan for 2million sqft of logistics space at key Avonmouth site gains planning

Stephen George + Partners (SGP) are celebrating the successful determination of the outline planning application for the development of industrial and storage and distribution units on a 101 acre (40.94 Ha) site at Avonmouth, for owner Epta Development Corporation (EDC) and developer Stoford.

The AJ100 practice’s indicative masterplan outlines the development of a total of 1,934,793 sqft (179,748 sqm) GIA of workspace with ancillary office space, external yards, parking, vehicle, cycle and pedestrian connections, landscaping and associated works. SGP’s submission also included a full planning application for engineering earthworks to raise site levels for a pre-development plateau.

Explains Marcus Madden-Smith, Partner at SGP: “Our design intent for this project was to deliver a holistic and flexible masterplan with well-designed buildings, green spaces, and a sense of place. Our indicative masterplan delivers a comprehensive and efficient approach across the site, demonstrating maximised building sizes and establishing clear and sensitive principles for appearance, layout, landscaping and scale to guide the future development of this strategically important employment area.”

SGP’s design delivers a site layout and building forms that meet functional requirements for modern logistics and industrial occupiers, including large service yards, a range of large building footprints with minimal internal structures, and maximum building heights for the installation of racking and automation equipment as well as a potential mezzanine floor.

Dan Gallagher, Joint Managing Director, Stoford, said: “We’ve worked in close partnership with EDC and SGP over many months to secure planning consent for this hugely exciting scheme. Axis Works has the potential to become a world-class logistics and distribution park, creating jobs and economic growth in an already popular strategic location for logistics operators. We can deliver large scale, high quality accommodation with significant power, to suit a variety of occupier needs and anticipate significant interest in the scheme.”

Final materials and colourways will be decided in a future reserved matters application, but SGP’s design suggests a neutral dark matte exterior to reduce the impact of the buildings by blending them into the background, especially in key views such as across the Severn Estuary.

SGP’s design retains existing trees and hedgerows on the edge of the site and adds new woodland and hedgerows to mitigate views from local roads and footpaths. Each plot is also separated by landscape buffers, providing a green setting to reduce visual impact and adding outdoor amenity space to the development. In addition, there is also workers trail that wraps around the perimeter of the development which is set within the green infrastructure of the site to further enhance onsite amenity.

The scheme will target BREEAM Excellent, an EPC ‘A’ rating and net carbon zero in construction. Features will include PV-ready roofs, air source heat pumps, highly efficient thermal envelope design, provision for ‘green roof’ bicycle shelters and EV ready charging. The building will use recyclable materials where possible, such as a demountable and reusable steel frames, and major building components will be fabricated off-site to deliver CO2 savings.

Avonmouth is a port and outer suburb of Bristol, a strategic employment area and an important part of the region’s maritime economy. The site is located on the south side of the M49, well connected to the major national road network and offering good connections to all regions of the UK.