en.Wedoany.com Reported - The UK logistics and warehousing market has entered a new phase, with rising construction costs and tighter financing conditions significantly slowing speculative development activity. While overall availability has increased due to an uptick in second-hand space, supply of modern Grade A logistics facilities, particularly large speculative units, remains tight. Current market data shows that speculative starts are at their lowest level in nearly a decade, while tenant demand remains highly concentrated on warehouses that offer high quality, energy-efficient features, and strategic connectivity, especially along the UK's traditional logistics corridors.
Against this backdrop, developer Mountpark has secured planning permission for its iconic XL unit (Unit 3, 640,000 sq ft) at Mountpark Ferrybridge in Yorkshire, the company's largest speculative logistics development in the UK. This move reflects the developer's confidence in the UK large-scale logistics market and directly responds to the ongoing shortage of speculative development supply, while also marking a significant step in the transformation of the former coal yard at Ferrybridge Power Station into a major infrastructure and logistics hub.
The Mountpark Ferrybridge project is now over 50% pre-let or pre-sold, including a pre-let of 65,800 sq ft to Warburtons and the sale of an additional 40 acres of land to a data centre developer. Unit 1, a 40,000 sq ft speculative unit, has also received an offer and is expected to complete later this year.
Brett Huxley, Development Director for Mountpark UK and Ireland, stated that the decision to develop Unit 3 at Mountpark Ferrybridge reflects not only a commitment to the UK logistics market and the tightening development supply pipeline, but also a determination to breathe new life into this iconic Yorkshire site. The site possesses several essential elements prioritised by tenants, including delivery certainty, power supply, connectivity to the national strategic road network, and an available labour pool. Huxley believes the site is ideally positioned to support the continued growth of the Northern Powerhouse economy and expressed full confidence that it will become one of the UK's leading logistics hubs.
Infrastructure and site preparation works for the XL facility (Unit 3) are progressing well, with completion expected in August 2026. Subsequently, Mountpark will begin vertical construction in September, with practical completion anticipated in Q4 2027. The property will offer first-class warehouse space, including a 21-metre clear internal eaves height, two 50-metre service yards, and Grade A headquarters-style office space. The building can provide up to 13MVA of power supply to meet the needs of energy-intensive tenants, targeting a BREEAM 'Outstanding' certification and an EPC A+ rating. Additionally, the Mountpark Ferrybridge project has the capability to connect to the rail network to support its decarbonisation strategy.
Located at the junction of the M62 and A1(M), Mountpark Ferrybridge offers strategic motorway connectivity and access to critical power infrastructure. It is one of the UK's best-connected freight corridors, providing superior conditions for large-scale logistics operations, infrastructure, advanced industrial tenants, and substantial investment.
