Industry Support Reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Panattoni, has announced that its support of the UK Government’s reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport in spring 2026 and the exciting tie up with Munich Airport International GmbH (MAI) as part of the £1.7bn South Yorkshire Airport City initiative to boost the region’s logistics and supply chain infrastructure.

This ambitious project aims to transform the region into a premier logistics and commercial hub, leveraging the airport’s strategic location and extensive connectivity. By integrating high-quality industrial developments with world-class airport operations, South Yorkshire Airport City will attract major national and international businesses, stimulate job creation, and enhance the UK’s trade links. The investment will strengthen Doncaster’s position as a critical node in the UK’s supply chain network, fostering economic resilience and sustainable regional development.

Property developers such as Panattoni are continuing to speculatively develop large-scale projects across the UK to meet demand for industrial and logistics facilities. Panattoni Park Central A1[M], the largest single speculative build currently under construction in the UK, will further supplement industrial growth across the Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire regions.

PANATTONI DONCASTER SHEFFIELD AIRPORT REOPENING

Dan Burn, Head of Development in the Northwest and Yorkshire at Panattoni, said: “The reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport will provide significant opportunities for businesses across Yorkshire and the wider region to expand their operations and access global markets.

“Our nearby developments at Panattoni Doncaster 420 and Panattoni Park Central A1[1] demonstrate our commitment to the region. With excellent transport links, both sites are nationally significant in driving economic growth, and redefining logistics and industrial operations in the region.”

Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said: “Reopening our airport is my number one priority and today’s announcement is an important day for Doncaster having reached another significant milestone. “This major announcement that I am making today enables us to press ahead with the necessary airport mobilisation activity to see the airport – which I proudly call the people’s airport – to reopen in Spring 2026.”

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Polish Prime Logistics Hub Sold

Kajima Europe, a pan-European real asset investor, developer, and manager with £10bn AUM, has successfully completed the sale of it’s prime logistics scheme in Zgorzelec, Poland. The asset was held in JV with Panattoni and sold to Arete Investment Group.

Strategically located next to the German border along the A4 highway, this state-of-the-art facility provides unparalleled access to Germany, Europe’s largest economy, and key consumer markets across Central Europe. Split across two buildings totalling 65,000 SQM, the logistics hub currently houses two institutional tenants in the global logistics and healthcare equipment sectors on long-term leases, highlighting the hub’s strategic positioning in serving businesses’ supply chain needs in the region.

Polish Prime Logistics Hub

Positioned between Prague, Wroclaw, and Dresden, it offers excellent connectivity for goods transport. The A4 corridor, linking Zgorzelec to the rail terminal in Kodersdorf and Leipzig Airport, Germany’s second-largest airfreight hub, reinforces its role as a crucial European logistics centre.

The facility’s BREEAM Excellent certification highlights Kajima Properties’ commitment to sustainability on all of its development projects across Europe.

Jan Trybulski, Investment Director and Head of Poland, said: “The Zgorzelec scheme is an example of a high-end, sustainable warehouse developed in a strategic location in Poland. The sale of this scheme demonstrates liquidity in the Polish market and shows demand for high quality logistics is strong despite more challenging economic environment.”

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Delivering the Warehouse Project

Large warehousing and industrial park developments take time and careful project management to bring to fruition. David Priestman speaks to a Project Delivery Director.

Panattoni’s Owen Follett (pictured below) is overseeing all technical aspects of the redevelopment of Honda UK’s vast former car manufacturing plant site near Swindon, Wiltshire. The site closed 3 years ago after 36 years of operation, being the global manufacturing hub of the Honda Civic, as well as for engine production. A $1.5 billion project is establishing a Panattoni Park, which could create 7000 jobs.

Panattoni is a privately-owned, international, purely commercial real estate developer, with European head-quarters in Poland and 59 offices globally, including London. It claims to be the largest provider of pan-European logistics and industrial investment opportunities.

“We have 360 acres,” Follett tells me. “Two-thirds of which will be developed, much of it as B8 storage and distribution facilities.” Demolition started immediately upon possession of the site in February, with full, detailed planning consent having been received last December. The former manufacturing facilities, which had been empty since March 2021, measured over 210,000m2 on plan, and included multiple levels housing the manufacturing processes and material storage.

Ground-breaking

“As part of the demolition will be recycling in the region of 35,000 tonne of metal with approximately 5,000 tonne of that going into direct reuse in the secondary steel,” Follett adds. “We expect to harvest in the reason of 150,000 m3 of aggregates which will be reused on site. All in we expect to be recycling in excess of 98% of all construction waste from the site. These are all important metrics which allow us to construct the plateaus to Net Zero Carbon, a benefit we will be able to take forward into the unit construction. Part of the demolition the material is being harvested by our demolition contractor and recycled into the steel supply chain, including into electric arc furnaces and also direct re-use of some steel members.”

Concurrent with the demolitions, earthworks commenced in June release the services diversions required to construct the plateaus. In total Panattoni will be moving well in excess of 1.5 million m3 of material to create the development plateaus. Follett handled the planning, procurement and appointment of contractors.

Owen Follett

The first development plateaus will be available starting January 2025. “We currently have a Reserved Matters planning application running for a 915,000sqft unit (Unit 1) and will be submitting two further applications in July for a 520,000sqft unit (Unit 3) and a 540,000sqft cross-dock (Unit 4).” The plan is to commence on site with these units in Spring 2025, with the first units available for occupation in 4Q2025. “We’re looking for occupiers,” Follett says; “third party logistics companies, end user logistics operations, data centres and some manufacturing.”

Nature reserve

The new park will feature a wetland corridor. As part of the works Panattoni will be opening up the culverted ‘Kingstown Brook’ which meandered across the site until it was diverted below ground prior to the site’s use as a World War II airfield and manufacturing facility. The de-culverted watercourse has been designed in conjunction with a geomorphologist and ecologists to replicate the type of meandering watercourse which would have existed on the site 100 years ago, including riffles and pools serving a diverse range of insect and aquatic species, otters and birds. The works will create a 900m long open corridor through the site serving an important biodiversity habitat and amenity function for occupiers to enjoy.

“As part of the landscaping works, we will be retaining over 80% of the existing woodland which will be enhanced to become more species and age diverse.” Follett enthuses. A further 11 ha of new woodlands will also be planted in the infrastructure, while 5.3 acres of new species rich grassland will be sown. “We’ve got plenty of power too,” he points out, thanks to the pre-existing Honda infrastructure.

Panattoni are speculative developers, but will offer build-to-suit for customers in Swindon. “It’s quicker to on-spec build for tenants,” Follett explains, “otherwise incoming occupiers can spend time on planning and this causes delays,” potentially bogging-down projects. In addition to the Swindon park the company has plots available at existing UK sites such Panattoni Poyle near Heathrow Airport, a speculatively developed last-mile logistics opportunity which will reach practical completion this September.

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Large Tyre Warehouse Opens in Poland

Bridgestone, a global leader in tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, present in Poznań since 1998, and ESA logistika have opened a 50,000 sq.m tyre warehouse where tyres will be shipped for further distribution.

What particularly distinguishes the complete warehousing processes that are implemented for Bridgestone is several sustainable solutions that allow obtaining BREEAM Excellent certification. One of them is a 50kWp photovoltaic installation and modern technologies in energy and water saving and reducing CO2 emissions. In the interests of the well-being of employees, green relaxation zones are also created around the hall.

Bridgestone is committed to achieving its major environmental goals; carbon neutrality and the use of 100% sustainable materials by 2050. – Our new project launched with ESA logistika reflects our commitment to create a supply – chain and logistics with long-term environmental benefits and aligns perfectly with the “Ecology” and “Energy” values in the Bridgestone E8 Commitment – says Elżbieta Oussar, Logistics and Supply Chain Director, Bridgestone Europe East Region. For 24 years Bridgestone systematically increased its footprint in the Wielkopolska region, where our largest factory in Europe is located. Along with increasing demand for our premium tyres and the extension of capacity in the Bridgestone Poznan plant, now comes the new warehouse that fulfills our requirements on the way for an optimized and sustainable supply chain.

The hall is also equipped with innovative systems and tools that automates and facilitates work. These includes a warehouse management system created by ESA logistika experts, belt conveyors for unloading and loading individual tyres and stacking them on racks, and at a later stage also robots for transporting tyres and racks for their storage. – Innovation is something that we use at ESA logistika every day. This time we are very lucky that the Bridgestone company is open to all new products and will allow us to act extensively in this area. We plan to automate even such a prosaic matter as keeping the floor clean – says Rafał Łuczak IT and Implementation Manager at ESA logistika.

Despite such a high level of automation, the launch of the warehouse near Poznań will create more jobs. In the beginning, nearly 50 people found employment there. These are mainly warehouse employees, but also logistics specialists and shift managers. – Entrusting such a large operation to ESA logistika is proof of the great trust that the client places in us. We are glad that our activities so far show that we are ready to implement new, increasingly larger projects – says Łukasz Dziewanowski Managing Director at ESA logistika.

According to Katarzyna Kujawiak, Development Director at Panattoni: Last year alone, we delivered about 200,000 sqm for the automotive industry. The valuable experience we’ve gained in recent years continues to pay off. One of the results is the state-of-the-art logistics center, where our client ESA logistika conducts operations for the global tire leader. Our competence in sustainable construction also proved important in the realization of the facility. To date, we have completed environmental certification in Poland for facilities totaling more than 6 million square meters.

The warehouse is equipped with modern security systems, especially fire protection. Developer divided the investment into two zones separated by the REI 240 wall. Thanks to the special structure of the external dockside zone, the safety of employees can be protected. Attention to detail is the hallmark of this project. The common goals shared by all involved from the outset allow us to confidently count on the full success of this cooperation.

About ESA logistika

ESA logistika is one of the leading international logistics operators, dynamically operating in the area of Central and Eastern Europe and establishing ever wider relations with partners from all over the world. It provides comprehensive, tailor-made solutions for industry in the field of transport, warehousing, distribution logistics, project logistics, outsourcing, or value-added services (VAS). It has experience in handling logistics processes both in terms of administration and implementation. It also offers consulting services.

About Bridgestone in Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa

Bridgestone in Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa (Bridgestone EMIA) is the regional Strategic Business Unit of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and sustainable mobility solutions. Headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), Bridgestone EMIA employs more than 20,000 people and conducts business in 40 countries across the region.
Bridgestone offers a diverse portfolio of premium tires, tire technologies, and advanced mobility solutions. The company’s vision is to provide social and customer value as a sustainable solutions company. The Bridgestone E8 Commitment is a broad, global corporate commitment that clearly defines the value the company is promising to deliver to society, our customers, and future generations in eight focus areas; Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease and Empowerment. These provide a compass to guide strategic priorities, decision-making, and actions throughout every area of the business.

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