Manufacturer completes purchase of £150 million site and hub in Peterborough that will create about 280 jobs

A manufacturer has completed the £150 million purchase of a derelict site in Peterborough where it will build its largest European facility.

Crown Bevcan expects to create up to 280 jobs with the construction of an aluminium beverage cans making hub at Delta Park on the former Mars Petcacre site in Shrewsbury Avenue,Woodston.

It has bought the 625,000 square feet site and the under-construction manufacturing hub from land owners Trebor Developments and Hillwood.

The main contractor ISG began work on site in June 2022 and will complete in summer 2023.

The finished unit will be Crown’s largest manufacturing facility for beverage cans in Europe.

The site was originally intended as a two-unit speculative scheme but detailed planning consent was secured for Crown’s bespoke build-to-suit manufacturing facility for aluminium beverage cans in February 2022.

The 30 acres site is an important brownfield regeneration project with the former Mars Petcare manufacturing facility being demolished in 2014.

As part of the development Trebor and Hillwood with Crown have committed to a financial contribution to the enhancement of about 57km of protected roadside verges across Peterborough for bio-diversity measures that will improve large areas of grassland and enhance ecological connectivity.

Greg Dalton, Development Manager for Trebor, said: “We are delighted to have completed contracts with Crown, having secured planning earlier this year and already started enabling works on site in order to maintain a very fast-track programme.

“This significant build-to-suit manufacturing facility will be a fantastic accolade for all parties when completed, we continue to work closely with Crown to ensure the unit is delivered on budget and on programme.”

Ashwini Kotwal, President of Crown Bevcan EMEA, said: “This transaction is the first step towards the development of a new state-of-the art plant.

“The demand for infinitely recyclable aluminium packing is growing rapidly in the UK with cans being the pack of choice of consumers and of beverage companies for introducing new drinks.

“With this investment we are looking forward to serving the demand of our customers in the UK and contributing to employment generation in the Peterborough region.”