The site, which is centrally located at Stafford North Business Park on the A34, is the new main fulfilment centre for the UK retailer Pets at Home, and the transition of employees from the current Stoke and Northampton facilities is ongoing and will complete in early 2024.
Once the site is fully operational, the national fulfilment centre will be able to house 600 employees per shift, with three shifts running per day.
This is the first time McLaren Construction’s Midlands and North division has completed a landmark build for client, Pets at Home, working alongside Stoford to deliver groundworks including the cut and fill of the greenfield site, which was previously disused farmland.
The contractor completed the base build before constructing the 670,000 sq. ft. steel framed warehouse, complete with roof cladding, a photovoltaic roof, associated dock levellers, level access doors, two hub offices, a three-storey main office and category B works.
A concrete service yard, recycling store and tote store were also constructed independently, alongside a prefabricated gatehouse and 592-space car park.
Catering to future business expansion, the site can also facilitate a 10,000 sq. ft extension to the main warehouse, should the need arise in the future.
Rated BREEAM ‘Excellent’, with the environment at the core of its design, cladding colours for the fulfilment centre were chosen to blend in with the natural surroundings, and the car park was built as a floating feature on gravel, to prevent flooding to the area when it rains.
The entire build took 72 weeks to complete, during which time the construction team had regular consultations with the local neighbourhood and sent monthly newsletters and information bulletins to residents.
Andrew Howard, Operations Director at McLaren Construction Midlands and North, said: “We are delighted to have delivered this landmark national fulfilment centre for such a renowned client, alongside Stoford.
“The new site will facilitate the next phase of growth for the British pet supplies retailer, with increased capacity for employees and a base for further expansion of the site. It is ideally placed on the A34 by Stafford, with close links to the M6.”
Daniel Gallagher, Stoford Joint Managing Director, said: “We have worked closely with Pets at Home, Tesco Pension Fund and McLaren to develop this exciting new scheme that will sustain local jobs in Staffordshire. We have delivered a modern national storage and distribution centre, with a first-class design that has sustainability at its core.”
