Situated quayside on Alexandra Dock, McLaughlin & Harvey was appointed as main contractor by Peel Ports Group in March 2015 to deliver the multi-million-pound storage facility within a 26 week programme.

The new 282,000 sq. ft. bulk warehouse is 375m long, the length of three and a half football pitches, and will be used for the handling and storage of bulk cargo at the port. The huge build consisted of over 5,500 piles, 11,000m3 of concrete and 1.35km of precast concrete walls.

Each unit within the warehouse has 3m high concrete retaining walls, which will allow Peel Ports to make the most of the space, stacking tonnes of bulk storage the height of the building.  With a peak height of 15m, there is little restriction to the size of material, which can be placed inside or to the machinery which can be driven around the warehouse.

The warehouse was finished with 40,000m2 of single skin wall and roof cladding, retaining walls and is complemented with all associated services. 

Andy Ferguson, operations manager at McLaughlin & Harvey said: “As a company we’re used to building warehouses, but this has been the biggest project, to this scale, we’ve built so far. It’s been a bit of a challenge with the tight 26 week programme, but as a leading port group, Peel Ports needed a high-quality storage facility which we delivered.

“It has been a rewarding project for myself and the team, while adding to McLaughlin & Harvey’s credentials as a leader in this sector.”

As part of the Port of Liverpool’s continual development to provide modern new facilities, the warehouse is very flexible in its design and has the potential to be extended in the future. The new bulk storage facility has been positioned to provide more space between the building and the quayside for discharging vessels.

David Huck, Port Director, Peel Ports said: “McLaughlin & Harvey have delivered on the brief to construct a high quality storage facility, capable of handling the tonnes of bulk materials that arrive at the Port of Liverpool on a daily basis. 

“The new facility will enhance our warehousing and distribution offering at the Port, providing us with a strengthened storage and supply chain offering to our customers.”

Corstorphine + Wright Architects assisted in the delivery of the warehouse. Ross Erwin, director at Corstorphine + Wright, said: “We are proud to have worked with Peel Ports and McLaughlin & Harvey to create such a high quality facility in one of the world’s most vibrant ports. 

“To construct a project of this scale in so short a timeframe, particularly with the difficulties accessing the site due to its dockside location, is an achievement for all members of the project team.”