High-tech food hub planned for Derbyshire

SmartParc, partnered with SEGRO, plans to deliver a 172,000m² high-tech food manufacturing and distribution campus on a 112-acre site at Spondon, Derbyshire.

As development partner, SEGRO will provide a multi-million-pound investment to regenerate the brownfield site. SmartParc will provide the onsite managed services, supporting the food community to increase production efficiency and drive reduced operational costs through collaborative working.

SmartParc said its revolutionary energy sharing infrastructure will utilise wind and solar, combined with central services, to deliver the most sustainable food production community in the country.

Jackie Wild, SmartParc CEO said: “We are delighted to announce SEGRO as our development partner as we work towards our goal of building the first world-leading, sustainable, high-tech food manufacturing and distribution campus at SmartParc SEGRO Spondon.”

“Our partnership with SEGRO and the continued support of D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and Derby City Council will enable us to bring jobs to the region and address the increasingly critical challenges facing food manufacturing supply chains.”

Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director, National Logistics at SEGRO, added: “SmartParc’s bold new concept for food manufacturing and distribution has the potential to be a true game-changer. Over the last 18 months we’ve seen the importance of having robust supply chains closer to home and being able to quickly and efficiently distribute goods. SmartParc enables both of these within the vital food and drink sector and does so while keeping sustainability at its heart. We look forward to working together to make the concept a success.”