£20m warehouse to bring 200 jobs to Cannock

Cannock Chase District Council confirmed the major application, earmarked for land at Kingswood Lake Business Park north of the M6 Toll, had been submitted by US-owned Exeter Property Group via its London branch.

The warehouse would be a mammoth 372,000sq ft in size, which would include 15,000sq ft of offices as well as 329 car parking spaces.

The unit would be located to the north of Blakeney Way next to Unilever.

It would be Exeter Property Group's second major logistics development in the UK.

The project has been hailed as potentially becoming one of the biggest developments in the West Midlands for the last decade, by the town's economy boss.

Cannock' Chase's economic development and planning chief Councillor Gordon Alcott, said: "Not only is this proposal significant for the job creation potential it brings, it is also hugely significant in its potential to be one the largest speculative development schemes proposed within the West Midlands region over the last 10 years, and a massive vote of confidence in Cannock Chase District as a location to invest in."

Exeter Property Group appointed Birmingham-based Graftongate developments to identify the site and they will charge the firm with delivering the building.

The council confirmed the warehouse will be constructed speculatively in the hope a major logistics operator will take it on.

Rhodri Davies, property and investments services director at Exeter Property Group's London office, said: "We are delighted to have secured this strategic site for the development new logistics space and look forward to working closely with Cannock Chase Council to ensure its' successful delivery into the market.

"Kingswood Business Park in Cannock has become a focal point for corporate occupier relocations, with a strong labour pool and excellent motorway connections for modern logistics operations.

"The Midlands property market is attractive to such occupiers, given its' regional and national significance for efficient distribution.

"There is a shortage of available large buildings across the Midlands and strong occupier demand, so we are confident of attracting another major job-creating user to the area."

Kingswood Lake Business Park was developed by Staffordshire County Council and is already home to major firms including environmental company Veolia and delivery giant APC Overnight.

Earlier this month the council announced another 100,000sq ft industrial unit at the site which will be taken on by First Choice Group, a national catering spares distributor.