Steel up for M&S distribution centre

Highlighting Avonmouth’s strategic location, a new M&S distribution centre is being built on the site of a former pharmaceutical works.

Being developed by Stoford, with Winvic Construction as main contractor, the 36,232m² warehouse, which is targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’, has been designed to the highest sustainability standards.

Dan Gallagher, Joint Managing Director at Stoford, says: “This project demonstrates confidence in Avonmouth as one of the UK’s most important distribution locations and will provide M&S with a facility that meets the highest standards of design and sustainability.”

Caunton Engineering has fabricated, supplied and erected 1,945t of steelwork for the project (1,660t of hot-rolled and 285t of cold-rolled). Measuring 299.5m long, the steel portal frame includes four 27m-wide spans, each formed with a series of centrally spliced rafters.

The long spans are essential and will accommodate extensive temperature-controlled environments, comprising a 900m² freezer section operating at -18°C to -20°C, and 20,000m² of chiller chambers maintaining temperatures between +1°C and +3°C. Surrounded with insulated wall and roof panels, the freezer and chiller areas are designed as boxes within boxes.

The chiller is the largest area and is accommodated within two-thirds of the warehouse (approximately 200m-long). A steel-framed chiller wall separates this area from the freezer and ambient areas.