Demand for distribution space

30 January 2008

Mike Eagleton acting on behalf of IM Properties' 400 acre (161ha) Birch Coppice Business Park is extremely bullish about the demand for distribution space around Tamworth at junction 10 of the M42 motorway.

Two spec built units of 40,000 and 55,000 sq ft (3,716 and 5,109m²) at Birch Coppice have been let, one prior to commencement and the other a few weeks after completion with rentals hitting the £5.75 per sq ft mark on lease terms of 10 years. A third high specification logistics facility of 256,000 sq ft (23,782m²) will be completed by the end of March.

"Contract driven demand at Birch Coppice has been on the positive side for several months. The choice of speculative units coming on stream at the time and also a choice of design and build development plots up to 120 acres (48ha) has been a plus point for Birch Coppice. The potential for rail served sites is also a benefit which competing schemes in the region cannot offer." said Mike Eagleton.

New occupiers at Birch Coppice have the convenience of an on site container freight terminal through Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal (BIFT) operated by Roadways Container Logistics. The facility is currently servicing six container freight train movements a day from Southampton and Thamesport docks. The adjacent 40 acre (16ha) former TNT Logistics facility rebranded as Ceva brings in one train a day via the Channel Tunnel on behalf of Volkswagen Audi Group.