Full planning consent has been given to leading supermarket chain Tesco for a new warehouse development at Crawley in West Sussex which will service the retailer‘s ecommerce business.
At 120,000 sq ft the new distribution hub will support around 500 new jobs and the plans for the site reportedly received widespread backing from the Crawley Borough Council.
Fast moving consumer goods firm Nestlé also recently had plans to build on the Manor Royal Business District site in the town approved, with the area receiving a much needed business boost at a time of economic fragility.
Tony Fletcher, Corporate Affairs Manager at Tesco, said: “The Tesco warehouse will serve a large part of south west London and Sussex to support our on-line grocery shopping and delivery service.
“It will help ease pressure on local stores to improve both the shopping experience for customers visiting them and for customers receiving home delivery.
The new warehouse will strengthen Tesco‘s growing online business and also help the retailer achieve its ambition of being a zero-carbon business by 2050 by being built to strict environmental guidelines.
Recycled building materials will be used for its construction and it will feature an automatic lighting system, energy efficient freezer fans and a combined heat and power plant.
A network of new and enhanced public footpaths and cycle ways will also be built by Tesco as part of the construction, not only encouraging green travel but also linking the site to a wider employment area.
Fletcher added: “We have worked closely with the local community and council to develop the proposals that will provide an economic boost to Crawley by providing hundreds of new jobs.”
