Jobs boost for Solihull as John Lewis commits to 50,000 sq ft distribution hub

IM PROPERTIES has completed a pre-let to retailer John Lewis for a 50,000 sq ft customer delivery hub at Solihull Business Park.

John Lewis suggests up to 100 jobs could be created at the new distribution facility. 

It is a further commitment to the area from the retailer whose department store already anchors the nearby Touchwood shopping centre and whose Waitrose subsidiary is planning to open a store in central Solihull.

And it already has a distribution centre close to the site of the new facility. 

John Lewis will also anchor the Grand Central shopping area which is being built in central Birmingham as part of the redevelopment of New Street Station. 

The Solihull Business Park building is the first of John Lewis’ new customer delivery hubs which will focus on providing a core service of customer deliveries.

The distribution centre will be designed to achieve an EPC rating of A, Grade A specification offices and BREEAM Excellent status.

Nigel Harris, property manager at John Lewis, said: “The Customer Delivery Hub will provide a dedicated service building to support our existing and future stores in the area and enhance our network to support the growth in online. 

“Given the function of the building it was vital that we found an accessible location situated in the heart of the West Midlands region with good access to the motorway network. Solihull Business Park ticked all of the boxes.”

Solihull Business Park is located just off the A34 Stratford Road between the Solihull areas of Monkspath and Cranmore. The M42 motorway is less than a mile away. 

Lewis Payne, development manager at Coleshill-based IM Properties, said: “We knew that Solihull Business Park was an exciting acquisition for IM Properties and to agree a pre-let to John Lewis within six months of acquiring the park speaks volumes about both the quality of the site and its location within easy reach of the UK’s transport networks. 

“We are delighted to be involved in this important project for John Lewis.

The deal with John Lewis has prompted IM Properties to submit a reserved matters application for two additional industrial and distribution buildings of 30,000 sq ft and 50,000 sq ft respectively. 

Payne said: “Obtaining planning permission for two further buildings at the park will enable us to deliver buildings in around six months on a design and build basis putting us in an incredibly strong position, particularly in a market with growing occupier confidence and a lack of available good quality space.”

Pending approval of the reserved matters application, IM will undertake construction of the customer delivery hub, with the building expected to be complete by Autumn 2014, ready for John Lewis to fulfil online orders in the run up to Christmas next year.

IM Properties completed the purchase of the 10.44 acre development site in June from Wilson Bowden Developments.

GVA and Savills act as joint agents for IM Properties on Solihull Business Park. John Lewis was represented by Jones Lang LaSalle.