Chandler's Ford: Logistics company first to sign up for £20m Alpha Park

Nationwide courier and logistics company DX Network Services has become the first company to take a unit at Alpha Park, the major new industrial and warehouse development in Chandler's Ford. The company has signed a lease to occupy Unit 1, a 19,141 sq ft space at the £20 million site, which is on track to complete this month.

DX Network Services will use the new unit to service its home delivery contract with IKEA, as the logistics company continues to expand its operation in the south and add to its workforce in the area.

The deal, which has seen the company take on a 10-year lease, was reached with the south coast offices of commercial property specialists Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH), joint agents for the site with Colliers.

Adrian Whitfield, director, industrial for LSH on the South Coast, said: “Demand for warehousing and fulfilment space in the south is particularly high, in part driven by the continued growth in online retailing which has created an acute need for logistics space.

“Against this background, DX Network Services had been looking for suitable accommodation for some time, but a lack of supply in the area that we have been reporting for several years meant that they found it very difficult to find units to meet their needs.

“Fortunately, their search has ended thanks to the confidence of Bericote and Blackrock in building Alpha Park as a speculative venture on the back of rental growth and robust occupational demand.

“It is indicative of the demand we are seeing at Alpha Park and elsewhere is this area with other major occupational deals to Coopervision and Berendsen being agreed that it is possible for developers to secure tenants some weeks ahead of the practical completion on their schemes .

“We continue to see significant interest in the remaining units at Alpha Park as we draw nearer to the units becoming available for occupancy.”

DX Network Services is part of DX Group, which was established in 1975 and now employs more than 3,000 staff in operational hubs and offices around the UK.

Alpha Park, under construction by Bericote in a scheme funded by BlackRock, is prominently situated on the well-established Chandler's Ford Industrial Estate on land at School Lane/Electron Way which was previously an APW Electronics manufacturing facility.

Two units remain on the market – one sized 45,000 sq ft and one of 84,000 sq ft. Both are detached with self-contained secure yards.

The units at Alpha Park are designed to be suitable for general industrial, warehouse and distribution use. The park is in a highly accessible location near the M3, M27 and M25 motorways and close to Southampton Airport and Southampton Docks.