Logistics development to bring up to 2,000 jobs to Wakefield on former Kellingley Colliery site

Development firms Henderson Park and Cole Waterson are set to bring an eye-watering 1.1 million sq. ft. state-of-the-art warehouse, Konect 62, to the site near Knottingley where Kellingley Colliery once stood.

The colliery, which stood just beyond the Wakefield district boundary in Selby, North Yorkshire, was the UK’s last deep mine, shuttering its doors in 2015 after 50 years of operation.

It was owned and operated by UK Coal and once the largest deep mine in Europe. At its peak, the colliery employed more than 2,000 workers.

The £73m construction contract at the site has been awarded to Mclaren Construction Group with preliminary work expected to begin in November. The development could be completed by the end of 2023.

David Nuttall, managing director of Cole Waterhouse industrial and logistics, said: “Appointing McClaren to deliver these sustainable and high-quality units so quickly after we acquired the land and completed the construction funding is a major step forward for Konect and a statement of intent from the partners involved.

“We plan to be on site within four weeks of completion in 2023.

“The range of units we are developing will appeal to a diverse range of occupiers who will bring high quality jobs and investment to the area and cement Konect as a significant employment destination in anticipation of our future phases in the coming years.”

The warehouse space will span across four units which will be leased to logistic and industrial businesses.

It will see the creation of the massive ‘Big K’ - a 735,000 sq. ft. unit, which is said to be one of the largest warehouses in the North of England when complete.

The firms hold full planning permission for the 1.4 million sq. ft. development but plans are under review to enlarge the scheme to around 1.8 million sq. ft., with an outcome expected int the new year.

Christophe Kuhbier, managing director at Henderson Park, added: “This strategically located site is optimally placed to deliver much needed capacity into the critically undersupplied Yorkshire industrial market.

“We are confident that the sustainability and technical specifications of the scheme we are developing will appeal to the highest quality logistics operators as well as traditional industrial occupiers, who are increasingly energy conscious.

“We are excited to get the project underway and deliver what we believe will be an exemplary regeneration of a major brownfield site.”

The developers say the project represents the country’s only inland distribution park ready-enabled to offer tri-modal connectivity to the UK and continental Europe via road, water or rail.

Sustainability will be a key consideration at all stages of development.

The wider masterplan for the land surrounding the site also includes the Southmoor Energy Centre, offering a potential supply of low carbon energy to the estate in the future.

In the first phase of the development over 4,000 trees are being planted to include a diverse mix of native species.

The development will also have electric vehicle charging points and 400 cycle spaces.

A new footpath will link around the site passing through new landscaping, and a cycle route will be installed to connect Weeland Road to the Knottingley and Goole Canal.