Pigeon secures planning permission and pre-let for 12-acre Industrial Open Storage facility

Pigeon is pleased to announce that Bedford Borough Council has granted planning permission for its 12-acre industrial open storage facility at Twinwoods Business Park. This pivotal decision paves the way for CHEP UK to establish one of its largest service centre facilities in Europe.

The approved plans include the comprehensive refurbishment of Building 76 which extends to 80,000 sq ft, alongside an additional seven acres of open storage. Combined, the building and open storage will form a 12-acre facility. The plans reflect a strong commitment to sustainability by reusing and future-proofing the existing building. Furthermore, significant reductions in energy consumption will be achieved through a series of changes including the installation of solar panels, the integration of electric vehicle (EV) chargers and thermally efficient cladding. A number of redundant structures will be demolished, with upcycled building material reused where possible. The new facility will serve as a hub for CHEP sustainable pallet pooling operations, focusing on the storage, repair, and reuse of pallets to maximise their lifecycle and minimise waste.

Construction on the project is set to begin shortly, with the facility expected to be delivered to CHEP UK by mid-2026.

Ben Guest, Director — Investment at Pigeon, commented: “Since our acquisition of Twinwoods Business Park in December 2023, Pigeon has worked with existing and new tenants to help grow and meet demand for good quality commercial space in this well-located part of the region.”

“We are delighted to have secured CHEP, an international and respected business to the park. Our team has worked collaboratively with them to design a building and open storage solution that will meet their needs and enable them to grow.”

Kevin Harrington, Head of Real Estate at CHEP, added: “We are pleased to have secured planning for the new facility. Twinwoods was the ideal choice for us, offering a central location and additional storage capacity that goes beyond what is typically available in a business park. We look forward to working with Pigeon to bring this facility to life and begin operations.”

Newmark and Savills acted for Pigeon.