Jobs bonanza as operators look to city Gateway Peterborough

This image shows how the new home for Peterborough company E-Leather should appear when completed.

Hundreds of jobs are being created in Peterborough as companies line up to move on to a distribution park opened just four years ago.

The 240 acre Gateway Peterborough, which lies to the south of the city, was officially declared open by council and business leaders in February 2014.

Now developers have announced the completion of construction of two multi-million pound warehouses.

And they say there are four more companies poised to move to Gateway, and that will occupy a total of 1,400,000 sq ft of space.

Foremost among the pending new arrivals is technology company E-Leather, which is moving from its base in Kingsbridge Centre, Sturrock Way, Peterborough, to a 230,000 sq ft unit where it will employ 115 staff.

The company manufacturers high-technology composition leather for rail and aviation companies worldwide.

A logistics operator has also agreed to move into a 300,000 sq ft unit creating up to 100 jobs. The name of the company has not been revealed.

As previously reported, retailer Lidl is taking 760,000 sq ft for a new super hub and Yearsley has started building its cold storage facility and buildings on 400,000 sq ft

The details have been released by Bidwells, acting on behalf of Roxhill Developments.

Patrick Stanton, head of Bidwells Logistics team, said: “We’re delighted to have reached completion on these two deals.

“Companies struggle to find existing buildings over 100,000 sq ft and so design and build options are increasingly popular.

Steve Bowyer, chief executive of Opportunity Peterborough, said: “We’re pleased to see the new investors we’ve been working with land in the city, and that there is such a healthy pipeline of new companies looking to relocate.

“It’s testament to the sites, and the city’s strengths as a great place to do business, from a strategic location, and cost effective, perspective.

“We should expect to see thousands more jobs created by companies moving to the site, and as manufacturing and logistics companies move towards greater automation, we should also see more high quality jobs being created.”

The largest of the completed deals is a 250,000 sq ft design and build transaction to Smart Garden Products for more than £17 million.

The building was completed last October and has 12 metre eaves, a 50 metre deep yard and more than 200 car parking spaces.

The second sale worth £12 million was to Kingsley Beverages Ltd which has purchased a 170,000 sq ft facility, that has been designed for a purpose-built beverage plant, warehouse and office.

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