Plans submitted for 235,000 sq ft warehouse space at Manchester Airport World Freight Terminal

Investors, Columbia Threadneedle, have submitted plans to develop new logistics warehouse units at the World Freight Terminal at Manchester Airport, totalling 235,000 sq ft.

These applications follow the approval of the Columbia Threadneedle Investments’ first planning application in January 2021, which kick-started a three-year development programme at the World Freight Terminal with the construction of 85,000 sq ft of new-build logistics warehouse units, anticipated to complete in March 2023. The latest two phases additional phases of construction, demolition of obsolete buildings is planned to commence in the second quarter of this year, with completion of the new units anticipated in April 2023.

Plans put forward to Manchester City Council, if approved, could see the combined total warehouse space at the terminal double, with Columbia Threadneedle bringing forward over 400,000 sq ft through its schemes at the airport. Proposals for the latest warehouse units will be a minimum of EPC A rating and BREEAM Excellent standard as part of the investors’ ambitions for a carbon-neutral portfolio by 2050.

Samantha Hadland, Asset Manager at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, said:

“Manchester Airport offers a global gateway to the north of England. Following the approval of our first planning application, we have embarked on an ambitious development project to completely modernise the adjacent World Freight Terminal, transforming it into a leading logistics warehouse park.

“With this project we are responding to the increasing freight traffic coming through the airport and capitalising on the strong demand for warehouse units in south Manchester. Doubling the warehousing space will help serve the booming e-commerce market and drive trade and growth to the region and its businesses.

“We have already begun work to deliver the first phase of the project and are excited to keep the momentum going with these next two phases of the development.”