800 jobs on way at Asda Kingsway hub
SUPERMARKET giant Asda is planning to open a distribution centre at Rochdale’s Kingsway Business Park, a move that will create 800 jobs.
The group is to submit a planning application later this month to develop 44 acres on the 420-acre park.
If planning permission is granted they hope to have the facility up and running by the end of 2012.
The development would include almost 500,000sq ft of warehousing and offices, along with a 133,500 sq ft on-site waste recycling centre. It would handle up to three million cases of chilled frozen food per week as well as other food products.
Asda currently has 24 distribution centres servicing its stores across the UK.
Ant Everett, head of network development for Asda Distribution, said: “Since the successful acquisition by Asda of the Netto business in 2010, the company has identified a shortfall in capacity in the North West and Yorkshire in its specialist warehouse provision.
“We need a new warehouse in the North West to service our growing number of stores and Kingsway’s location and the fact that it has direct access to the M62 makes it ideal to service the whole of the north of England.
“It will provide up to 800 jobs when it’s fully operational and it will be state-of-the-art. We aim to make it one of the most environmentally sustainable developments of its kind in the UK and it would be a flagship development for us, leading the way for Asda worldwide.”
The retail chain has reached an agreement with Wilson Bowden Developments, developers of Kingsway, for the grocer to build its own facility.
Cllr Peter Williams, Rochdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Management and Economic Regeneration, said: “This is fantastic news for the borough and confirms Kingsway is seen as a regionally strategic site.”
John Hudson chief executive of Rochdale Development Agency, said: “This is a multi-million pound proposed investment and if the plans are given the go-ahead the centre will be the second largest occupier on the Park after JD Sports. It will mark another significant milestone in the development of Kingsway.”
A formal planning application will be submitted for consideration by Rochdale Council’s Planning Sub Committee.
Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk welcomed the news, stating: “I have called for some time for Kingsway Business Park to be open for a variety of business uses. Full credit should go to the Rochdale Development Agency in making this happen.
“They’ve done a good job in attracting such a household name to Rochdale and bringing 800 jobs to the town.”
