Planning consent has been granted this week for two buildings, totalling over 130,000 sq ft, at Gateway 14, Stowmarket, both occupied by manufacturers of eco-friendly construction materials.
Assan Panel, a major affiliate of Kibar Holding, a renowned name in Turkey’s industrial sector that manufactures sandwich panel construction materials and exports to 85 countries across the world, will invest £45m in an 86,565 sq ft manufacturing building, bringing 100 jobs to the area.
They will be joined on Gateway 14 by Bauder – a leading international manufacturer of building construction materials specialising in quality waterproofing systems and insulation to make buildings watertight and thermally efficient. The company, which has its manufacturing operations in Ipswich, plans to occupy a 44,000 sq ft distribution centre at the park.
Reserved matters planning permission was granted consent for both buildings at Mid Suffolk District Council’s planning committee yesterday (Wednesday 17th July 2024). Each will benefit from Gateway 14’s inclusion as part of the Freeport East zone, giving occupiers significant tax benefits and wider support to drive productivity and benefits for local communities.
Gateway 14 is being developed by Gateway 14 Ltd – a wholly owned subsidiary of Mid Suffolk District Council, in conjunction with its development partner Jaynic. Construction on both units is expected to start on site imminently.
Mid Suffolk District Council’s cabinet member for housing and property, Cllr Richard Winch said: “The green economy is an emerging market that we are keen to encourage and forms part of our aspirations for Gateway 14. With planning permission granted for the Assan and Bauder buildings, we are delighted to welcome these leaders in the sustainable construction sector to Mid Suffolk.”
Steve Beel, Chief Executive of Freeport East said: “We’re delighted to see these developments progressing so quickly at Gateway 14. It’s testament to the strong public-private partnership we have at Freeport East that all parties are looking to expedite and expand the benefit of these investments. Both these businesses are well aligned to the types of industry we are looking to attract across Freeport East and will strengthen our efforts to bring more investment to the region”
Sir Christopher Haworth, Chair of Gateway 14 Ltd, said: “This is a major step-forward in positioning Gateway 14 as a hub for today’s clean industries, particularly alongside plans for a new skills and innovation centre also on site, where cutting edge young and start-up businesses will be given every encouragement to develop.”
Jaynic’s development director Ben Oughton said: “We are pleased to be making strong headway at Gateway 14 where potential occupiers see the benefits that the park provides with its freeport status as well as underlining its locational advantages sitting next to Junction 50 of the A14. This provides direct trunk road access into the UK motorway system.
These planning decisions follow on from the 1.17m sq ft distribution hub building for The Range that was completed at the end of last year and will be in occupation shortly.”
The buildings at Gateway 14 are designed to BREEAM excellent standard which includes an EPC A rating, EV charging, LED lighting, solar PV, smart energy systems and rainwater harvesting, delivering low carbon and net zero solutions where possible.
Mid Suffolk District Council’s recent approval for a new £18m Skills and Innovation Centre on the park will help address the local skills gap and seize opportunities around growing sectors such as digital/AI technology and the green economy.
Accessibility through and around the development is a key feature with significant walking and cycling routes being integrated along with access to public transport links and local amenities.
Biodiversity on the site is also a priority, with high-quality landscaping, green corridors and nesting boxes all being introduced across the site to support not only the wildlife and ecology but also to create a vibrant, attractive, and healthy working environment for employees.
Agents for the project are Savills and Avison Young.
