Transforming an unloved site into a logistics hub of the future

At Power Park in Nottingham, we’ve partnered with Oxenwood to transform an unloved site into a logistics hub of the future. Taking a responsible approach we’ve recycled 90% of materials from the original site, resulting in a sustainable new space for those looking for a superb industrial and logistics base in the heart of England…

Since first opening its Nottingham factory and warehouse in 1972, Imperial Tobacco had been a significant employer in Nottingham. Part of the Player Cigarette company, it was a local institution, employing thousands of people in the community across  a span of two generations. 

In 2016, Imperial Tobacco closed its doors; while a decision was made to retain the warehouse as a distribution centre, the company opted to cease factory operations – leaving a 1 million sq ft space empty, and a local community facing job losses and uncertainty.  

A sustainable new vision  

In its quest to sell the site, Imperial sought a developer who would understand the challenges at hand, designing a site that would accommodate the existing warehouse and creating something sustainable and new – all without disturbing its ongoing distribution. 

With a track record and passion for tackling challenging sites, HBD – working with partners Oxenwood on behalf of a forward fund – stepped in to deliver a new vision. The prospects of rejuvenating this site, and its potential in a great location on the M1, piqued the team’s interest. 

HBD set about delivering the plan, spending the first 18 months from 2019 commissioning new services that would ensure the site could run smoothly in the future; forward thinking ensured that the warehouse operations were protected. 

HBD then set about constructing something new and sustainable here. As a purpose-built cigarette factory, the developer couldn’t retain the original building, so plans were focused on preserving the original materials – 90% of them in fact!  

Concrete was crushed and used as a capping layer on the site, other materials were sent off to be recycled, while remnants of the old cigarette production halls – notably 300,000 sq ft of maple flooring – were recycled and used in homes across Nottingham.  

But that still wasn’t enough for HBD’s green agenda, so we introduced more initiatives, especially around biodiversity, adding things like cycle shelters with green roofs – the vegetation for which encourages other species to move into the area. And we’re creating 43 spaces for charging electric vehicles too.  

The result? 

Powerpark now features 426,000 sq ft, high specification industrial and logistics building, with very high-quality accommodation offering with high power availability – something that is important for occupiers for automation and for powering things like those aforementioned EV spaces.  

And the best bit? The space has the potential to create 1,000 new jobs – bringing the economy full circle and helping create new employment opportunities for Nottingham and the East Midlands.  

“HBD is a forward-thinking partner; an organisation that doesn’t shy away from the challenges of a site like Powerpark. This is an exciting new place which has benefited from our shared expertise and vision.” – Oxenwood