Construction and civil engineering contractor Winvic Construction is celebrating a successful year of delivery with client SEGRO, as they develop a new multi-modal logistics hub in Northampton, surpassing a number of key milestones at the 450-acre site which remains on course for completion.
Work on SEGRO Logistics Park started in 2021, and is expected to lead to the creation of around 7,500 new jobs. It comprises a five million square feet warehousing and logistics hub and a dedicated 35-acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI). Winvic is also delivering highways works as part of the project.
Improvements to M1 Junction 15, improving local access and traffic flow, have reached practical completion after 18 months, while ongoing works – being delivered in partnership with National Highways, Network Rail and local authorities – to the A508, A45 and to construct the Roade village bypass will continue until the beginning of 2024. Roade Bypass is a new 2.5km single carriageway that includes the construction of a new road bridge across the West Coast Main Line and three roundabouts. The 48 metre steel bridge beams totalling 264 tonnes were lifted into place by Winvic in September. Construction of the deck, waterproofing and surfacing will continue through the Winter. The Roade bypass and roundabout works are anticipated to be complete at the beginning of 2024.
Construction of the 170-metre reinforced concrete tunnel, which will screen the trains after departing from the terminal, has also been completed along with the terminal buildings. The final reinforced concrete slab to create the intermodal and HGV terminal was poured in November – the last of the 86 slabs totalling 22,000 m3. The programme for the rail terminal is on schedule to be fully operational by Easter 2024.
The SRFI will connect to the West Coast Mainline via the Northampton loop line and will encourage the increase of sustainable movement of freight by rail. On-site rail works will continue through the winter period and Network Rail will be working on-site to connect the Northampton loop to the mainline.
Winvic says more than 50% of the development plateaus for seven large warehouse units, ranging in size from 530,000 square feet to 1.2 million square feet, have been completed this year. Winvic will recommence earthworks in Spring 2023 and complete the remaining plateaus by the end of 2023. When the Park is fully complete, it will include over 80 acres of parkland and amenity grassland, 18km of footpaths, 20km of hedgerows and the planting of 60,000 new trees.
Furthermore, the primary sub-station works are complete and will be energised in the Winter, providing power to the scheme as a whole and contributing to the project’s sustainability credentials.
SEGRO has been working alongside local council and community partners to deliver an employment and skills programme that provides training and employment opportunities for members of the local community. This forms part of a newly launched Community Investment Plan for the region. Last month, a community environmental project completed, which involved reinvigorating outdoor community space and enhancing biodiversity and wellbeing. Winvic shares SEGRO’s commitment to adding lasting value into the communities in which it works and works with its supply chain to help clients meet their aims.
Rob Cook, Head of Civils and Infrastructure at Winvic Construction, said: “Our one-team approach to the complex programming for earthworks, rail, a covered tunnel structure and significant highways reconfiguration works has enabled us to meet – or surpass – all the key milestones. I’d like to thank our team for their hard work at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton through last year and I hope they have returned from the Christmas break rested and proud that we’re right on schedule.
“This multi-modal logistics hub is crucial for meeting the demands of distribution in a sustainable, future-proofed way. And working with SEGRO, local councils and community partners we’re helping to deliver skills and employment opportunities to local people. We look forward to continuing our partnership with SEGRO at the Northampton site and East Midlands Gateway to successful completions and beyond.”
Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director, National Logistics at SEGRO, said: “Developments such as SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton represent critical pieces of national infrastructure in the heart of the UK, playing an invaluable role in storing and transporting goods and services all over the UK in an efficient and sustainable way. We are making excellent progress are pleased to be able to continue development at pace despite the current economic uncertainty.”
(Picture – Winvic)
