Firm’s £20m move into new HQ stalled over finance approval

Supply chain firm Pattonair’s move into a £19.3m new office and warehouse development in Derby has been put on hold.

TheBusinessDesk.com has learned that, despite Derby City Council approving the £19.3m needed to build the scheme at Infinity Park Derby, the D2N2 LEP has stalled the move while it assesses the business case for the relocation.

Plans for new building had included an 80,000 sq ft warehouse, 15,000 sq ft of office space, with a further 30,000 sq ft of mezzanine offices within the warehouse. The Council said in February that it had negotiated terms with the developers for the site.

Pattonair’s group strategy & programmes director, Richard Hawkins, said: “We have been working alongside Derby City Council and the D2N2 LEP committee regarding this plan for a new purpose-built facility on Infinity Park. The proposal obtained Derby City Council Cabinet approval back in February 2019 for a circa £19m investment and is due for completion early 2021.

“Since then, the proposal has been pending D2N2 LEP approval which we now expect within the coming months. We remain confident that the approval will be granted to help kick-start the development in the Infinity Park area.”

Pattonair provides distribution and supply chain management services to the aerospace and defence sectors. It employs 600 people in Derby.

The company says its aim is to consolidate all Derby activities into the single aerospace campus at Infinity Park once fully operational in 2021.