Rooley Lane, Bradford, depot set to be handed over (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Rooley Lane, Bradford, depot set to be handed over

9:44pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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The first phase of a £100 million distribution centre in Bradford is to be completed at the end of the month.

ProLogis’s 1.1 million sq ft building off Rooley Lane will be handed over to Marks & Spencer to be fitted out and is expected to begin a phased opening starting in the summer.

It will be M&S’s largest distribution centre, serving all of its UK stores and is expected to lead to the creation of hundreds of jobs.

A spokesman for the company said that because of the different phases, which start from April, it was too early to say the total number of jobs the centre would create.

But the initial work is expected to see 200 to 300 jobs on site and this is expected to reach in excess of 1,200.

The next section of the development overall will see 250,000 sq ft of build-to-suit distribution facilities and business units for small to medium-sized and national companies. This is expected to bring in an extra 500 to 1,000 jobs across the remainder of the site.

The 90-acre ProLogis Park Bradford is on the former site of West Bowling Golf Club and is next to the M606.

In addition to the ProLogis Park Bradford, key schemes within the district are moving forward and providing a number of investment opportunities.

The North Street mixed-use development – the former Park Lane College site – in Keighley and the Appleton Business Park in Baildon are now being marketed and will be promoted at MIPIM 2010, the annual property fair in Cannes.

Kevin Reed, economic development service manager at Bradford Council, said: “The scale and significance of the ProLogis Park Bradford scheme is clear to see as the first phase nears completion.

“This is a significant step forward for Bradford, as the development will not only create opportunities for investment, but it will stimulate the local job market as well.

“Despite the difficult economic conditions, Bradford’s regeneration continues to gain momentum as the strategic programme moves forward to deliver what the city needs, while attracting key public and private investment, increasing confidence and development in the city.”