Barton & Redman secures Smithfield consent
Russell WBHO is to build a 90,000 sq ft chilled warehouse at the fruit & vegetable supplier’s East Manchester base to facilitate the company’s expansion.
Manchester City Council has this week approved the project. B&R is a family firm that has been trading since 1964 and has been located at Openshaw’s New Smithfield Market, the region’s largest wholesale market, since 2013. It also worked with Russells in 2019, in securing consent for a 16,000 sq ft chilled storage facility.
The firm’s continued success has led to this application for a further 8.7-acre plot, currently mostly occupied by surface parking, with some older industrial units to one side.
As well as 78,000 sq ft of chilled storage space, the building will include 10,250 sq ft of office space.
Andrew Russell, joint managing director of Russell WBHO, said: “Following our appointment to design a scheme and secure planning on their behalf for the site, we are very pleased with this approval. Our specialist in-house team has been able to advise Barton & Redman from the outset and develop a proposal which can provide the additional space needed for their future growth.”
In documents supporting the planning application, Russell WBHO said that “the proposed development will see the existing business of Barton & Redman able to expand and remain at New Smithfield Market” describing the project as “part of the council’s wider plans to redevelop the market to ensure its future suitability and continued success”.
The company already employs 70-plus people at the site, and will take on a further 20 as it expands.
Cube Architecture has designed the scheme, with the professional team also including HGLscape, Eddisons, E3P, Mulberry and AP Martin.
