A £15 million food logistics development creating 50 jobs has been proposed for Grimsby’s Europarc.
Plans have been submitted for a huge new temperature-controlled facility, together with a three-storey office complex, as town family business HSH Coldstores looks to significantly increase its presence.
Developer Wykeland Group has applied to North East Lincolnshire Council for permission to build the state-of-the-art plant - covering 171,000 sq ft of the town’s flagship gateway site.
Jobs will be created in cold store operations, stock and office administration as well as driving roles.
Anthony Howard, managing director of HSH, said: “This expansion is needed due to increasing demand for storage from existing and potential new customers.
“I’m extremely excited that we’re growing and Europarc is the perfect location, with its fantastic road links and other food-based businesses on site, for this exciting new facility.
“We’re really proud to be working in partnership with Wykeland to invest in the local community and boost the economy.
“It’s fantastic we’re in a position to expand in the current climate, but it’s only possible because of the hard work and dedication of our whole team.”
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Grimsby has the largest concentration of cold storage infrastructure in Europe, holding both raw materials - such as fish - and processed dishes ready to hit retail chillers.
HSH has supported the food sector for more than 50 years and already employs 130 staff, with three existing sites in the town, as well as further operations in Redditch, Worcestershire.
Its sister transport company, SAL Commercials, operates more than 40 refrigerated vehicles across the four locations, collectively clocking up more than two million miles annually.
Earlier this year HSH became part of the Constellation Cold Logistics network, with a majority shareholding acquisition seeing it join with similar businesses in Belgium, Holland and Norway under the control of Arcus Infrastructure Partners.
The Lakeside plans include 28 docking doors for the loading and unloading of goods and an 80-space car park equipped with electric charging points at the 12-acre site, to the right of the Europarc ‘loop’ entrance, close to Morrisons’ seafood base alongside the A180.
The proposed new facility will achieve a BREEAM “very good” rating for sustainability and is described as being able to “integrate aesthetically with existing buildings”.
If approved, HSH Coldstores is aiming for it to be operational by mid-2022.
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The development is described as continuing the long-term story of growth and investment at Europarc, a location of choice that has enhanced Grimsby’s reputation as a major modern centre for food manufacturing, processing, storage, distribution and associated services - building on its fishing legacy.
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Wykeland has developed it in phases over more than two decades, with the most recent investments including two new buildings totalling 45,000 sq ft, the larger of which is now occupied by food packaging manufacturer Ultimate Group.
Development director for the Hull-based firm, Jonathan Stubbs, said: “We’re delighted to be working with HSH Coldstores to create a purpose-built facility that will enable a well-established Grimsby business to continue to grow and create new jobs.
“This proposed development will add another prestige facility to the business park and continue Europarc’s exceptional track record of retaining business and employment in North East Lincolnshire, as well as attracting significant inward investment to the area.”
Europarc now has more than 850,000 sq ft of developed business space, with more than 2,500 people employed on site.