PLP Secures Planning Consent for 700,000-Square-Foot Logistics Campus at M1 Junction 27

PLP has secured reserved matters planning consent for a 700,000-square-foot Grade A industrial and logistics campus in Nottinghamshire, the firm announced Sept. 4. Ashfield District Council granted approval for PLP Nottingham, a three-unit speculative development on approximately 65 acres at Sherwood Business Park in Annesley, immediately adjacent to Junction 27 of the M1 motorway.

The scheme is targeted for completion in Q4 2027, with construction scheduled to commence in June 2026. PLP is represented by Avison Young, Apex Real Estate and Savills.

Scheme Configuration and Specification

PLP Nottingham will be delivered across three units: Unit 1 at 458,792 square feet, Unit 2 at 68,652 square feet and Unit 3 at 172,213 square feet. The campus, located at postcode NG15 0DJ on Willow Drive within Sherwood Business Park, is designed to accommodate a range of industrial and logistics occupiers seeking varying unit sizes.

The development will be built to a Grade A specification, targeting BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings. The scheme will provide up to 8 megavolt-amperes of power, positioning it for occupiers with high power requirements such as automated logistics operations or light manufacturing. PLP described the development as offering flexible, high-quality space suited to both local and national occupiers.

The site's motorway-adjacent location provides direct access to 85% of the UK population within a four-hour drive time, with the Nottingham, Derby and Mansfield conurbations in close proximity.

Planning Background and Local Impact

Ashfield District Council granted outline consent for the project in 2024 before approving the reserved matters application. The 65-acre site, spanning approximately 26.32 hectares, includes land previously classified as agricultural, with portions touching green belt designations. The project is projected to support approximately 600 jobs annually during construction and around 1,000 jobs upon completion.

The development forms part of a broader expansion of Sherwood Business Park, with access to the campus routed via Willow Drive and integrated with existing business park infrastructure.

Joe Beasley, Development Director at PLP, said: "PLP is committed to delivering prime, best-in-class industrial and logistics space in undersupplied UK sub-markets. PLP Nottingham will provide a range of high-quality unit sizes tailored to the requirements of both local and national occupiers. We look forward to bringing forward this scheme, adjacent to junction 27 of the M1, in a core region of the UK industrial and logistics market."

Market Context: Midlands Logistics Demand

PLP's decision to proceed on a speculative basis comes against a backdrop of strong occupier demand and constrained Grade A supply across the Midlands logistics market. Take-up of units 50,000 square feet and above in the Midlands reached 5.2 million square feet in Q2 2026, bringing the first-half total to 10.2 million square feet — the strongest first half since 2021.

Grade A vacancy across the Midlands stood at approximately 3.2% as of Q2 2026, even as overall vacancy rates remained in the mid-to-high single digits. Prime logistics rents for units of 50,000 square feet and above in Birmingham reached £12.50 per square foot, representing a 4.2% year-on-year increase. Nationally, UK logistics take-up in H1 2026 reached approximately 10.9 to 13.2 million square feet, with demand led by third-party logistics and retail distribution occupiers.

Grade A big-box supply nationally remained approximately 3% lower year-over-year as of Q2 2026, sustaining rental growth of approximately 1.4% in the first half of the year. The combination of tight modern supply and continued demand growth in the Midlands corridor underpins the speculative delivery strategy PLP has adopted for the Junction 27 campus.

About PLP Nottingham

PLP Nottingham is situated at Sherwood Business Park, Annesley, Nottinghamshire (NG15 0DJ), within the area commonly referred to as the Golden Triangle — the logistics corridor that represents a core part of the UK's distribution infrastructure. The scheme marks PLP's continued focus on speculative development in what the firm characterizes as undersupplied UK sub-markets.

No pre-let agreements have been announced in connection with the development as of the planning consent date.

Sources:
PLP — PLP Nottingham Gets the Green Light (Sept. 4, 2026)