Green light for expansion at historic Beeston factory
Pharmaceutical firm Boots will build out a 30,000 sq ft warehouse extension as part of plans to consolidate operations at its sprawling Nottinghamshire headquarters.
Proposals to extend the firm’s D105 warehouse at the firm’s factory campus off Thane Road were first put forward to Nottingham City Council in March this year.
The development includes a temperature-controlled warehouse extension intended to provide secure medicine storage.
The scheme is situated on Boots’ historic factory site in Beeston, which includes two grade one-listed buildings, described by Pevsners as “some of the most important” examples of 20th-century Modernist design in Britain.
The Skidmore, Owings & Merrill-designed D90 headquarters building is also grade two listed.
In supporting documents supplied with the application, Boots said the development would enable a further investment in automated mechanical handling at the building, describing the scheme as a “further phase” in its commitment to reinvest in the Boots Campus.
Around 6,000 staff are employed at the 279-acre site.
“The proposed extension is a critical part of a wider multimillion pound investment in mechanical handling within the building and the extension completion is critical for the wider investment to commence,” said a planning statement supplied with the application.
“Its purpose is to modernise storage and handling operations, enhance the resilience of temperature controlled medicines distribution, and support Boots’ continued competitiveness from its Nottingham base.
“The proposal forms part of Boots’ ongoing capital investment programme and contributes directly to the safeguarding of employment at the Boots Campus.”
Planning and Design Group provided planning consultancy for the application, while Birmingham-based Webb Gray provided designs.
The application was approved by Nottingham City Council on Wednesday, 30 September.
Plans and documents relating to the application can be found on Nottingham’s planning portal using reference: 26/00394/PFUL3
