300 jobs to be created in Peterborough as construction starts on UK's largest cold storage hub

Distribution giant the Yearsley Group is constructing the offices and cold store for food products on a site at Gateway Peterborough at Great Haddon.

The plans were first unveiled six years ago with completion expected in 2013, but company bosses say construction work was put on hold because of a downturn in the market.

The company says initial investment totals £10 million but that will rise to £65 million when the 150,000 pallet scheme is completed.

The depot, known as SuperHub South, will be operational this August.

A spokeswoman said: “We can confirm work has officially started on the first phase of what will be the largest cold store facility in the UK.

“The number of jobs will depend on the work we get. Once the site is built to capacity the number of jobs created will be 300.”

Tim Moran, managing director, said: “When we bought the site the logistics market started to see a downturn of fortune.

“Space was widely available and adding more capacity into the market place would have been the wrong thing to do.

“As demand has increased we have been evaluating what the future of the temperature controlled logistics market requires, and starting the development at Peterborough is the logical choice.

Mr Moran added: “In the past five years the business has gone from strength to strength, with turnover increasing by 46 per cent.

“To continue this momentum Yearsley Logistics is expanding its network, and Peterborough is in the ideal location to do so. It will strategically serve all major ports and Southern England, minimising food miles and increasing operational efficiency.”

Over the last 10 years, the company has created a national network of SuperHubs that allow for better stock management, improved customer service and increased transport efficiencies.