Construction starts on logistics development that will bring 2,000 jobs to Wakefield on former Kellingley Colliery site

Development firms Henderson Park and Cole Waterson are bringing the 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.

Phase One, which is being delivered by McLaren Construction, will see the speculative development of 1.1million sqft of state-of-the-art, energy efficient warehouse and logistics space across four units, all built to BREEAM Excellent sustainability standards.

This will include ‘Big K’, a 735,000 sq ft unit, one of the largest ever delivered in the North of the UK, as well as three further units of 161,000, 151,000 and 61,000 sq ft, catering to a variety of potential occupiers.

Construction is now well underway following ground works, land remediation and clearance across the 60-acre first phase, with the steel frame of the first unit now built.

Konect 62 holds full planning consent for 1.4million sqft of prime logistics accommodation, however plans are under review to enlarge the scheme to c. 1.8 million sq ft, enabling it to better fulfil the strong occupier demand, with a further planning application for the additional area due to be submitted later this year.

Konect 62 is targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and an EPC A efficiency rating, and will include EV charging facilities, LED lighting, PV solar panels and mechanical heat recovery.

The units are being built on a speculative basis and are being marketed for lease by DTRE, Sixteen Real Estate and Savills.

Situated at the junction of the M62 and the A1(M) motorways, Konect 62 is strategically positioned to serve local, regional and national markets.

Nearby logistics occupiers include Amazon, Asda, Stoelzle Glass, TJX Europe and GXO.

David Nuttall, Managing Director of Industrial & Logistics at Cole Waterhouse, said: “It’s fantastic to see the groundworks almost complete and the steel frame for K151 up.

"The scheme is really starting to take shape. Given that we only acquired the site in September and started on site in November, the team has made excellent progress and it’s resulting in a strong level of enquiries both for the buildings in Phase 1 as well as future phases of the development.

"We have now instructed the team to commence work on the remainder of the site and we hope to be submitting planning for a further 800,000 sq ft of accommodation later in the year to capitalise on this interest.”

Gary Cramp, managing director of McLaren Construction Midlands and North, said: “We’re pleased to be leading on construction works for a pivotal logistics build, crucially located on the M62.

"We’re seeing fast-paced progress with the development at present, and once complete, the multiple grade-A speculative units will be ideally placed to facilitate quality occupiers in the industrial and distribution sector.”