Royal London’s £36m Bootle industrial kicks off

Main contractor Winvic has begun the 41-week programme to construct four warehouses totalling 325,000 sq ft on the former Rolls Royce Engineering Works Factory site.

The 52-acre Atlantic Park sits within Liverpool’s freeport zone, which means there are a series of ta incentives to encourage occupiers to set up shop in the location. Royal London Mutual Insurance Society acquired the site off Dunnings Bridge Road in 2003 and has been working on redeveloping it for the past two decades.

Royal London has planning permission to construct 800,000 sq ft of industrial facilities at Atlantic Park, having secured the go-ahead for the first 100,000 sq ft in June last year and for the remaining 700,000 sq ft in November.

These 325,000 sq ft are just part of those grander ambitions. The warehouses will be 40,000 sq ft, 50,000 sq ft, 110,000 sq ft, and 125,000 sq ft – each with their own office space.

Winvic won the £35.8m design-and-build contract for logistics facilities. The contractor’s task list at the moment consists of enabling works – including removing the existing concrete slabs on the site. Gardiner & Theobald is also on the project team.

Representatives from Winvic, Royal London, and Gardiner & Theobald gathered together for a ground breaking ceremony on the site. Credit: via Hannes Digital

Winvic has been charged to deliver the buildings in a net zero way during construction. This is being done by utilising recycled scrap metal in the reinforcement steel of the scheme, as well as replacing standard concrete with a mixture that include GGBS – a byproduct from ironmaking. The contractor will also recycle water to reduce the amount of mains water used by 40%.

“We’re delighted to have impressed the Royal London team during the tender process and are ready to deliver four industrial facilities as net zero in construction for our new client,” said Danny Nelson, Winvic head of industrial, distribution, and logistics.

“I’d like to thank them so far for a great start. Our social value team has also begun planning and will be using their collaborative skills to bring benefits to local people,” he continued.

“The site isn’t without its challenges due its former use, but we have successfully remediated the ground on numerous projects and are confident to deliver the scheme by the end of 2024.”

Royal London’s plans for the warehouses also include a 10% biodiversity net gain for the site through the inclusion of bird, bat, and insect boxes.

Royal London is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating for the sheds, as well as an EPC A score.

Matthew Barnes, senior asset manager at Royal London said the company was glad to partner with Winvic on the project. “The scheme will showcase Royal London’s commitment to its sustainability principles and its ambition to create real long-term investment value for its members,” he said.

Elsewhere in the North West, Winvic is constructing a warehouse at Panattoni Park in Bolton and the 495,000 sq ft Ark Royal shed in Birkenhead.