Peel Logistics has announced that Eric Wright Construction has started work on the largest speculative warehouse building in Liverpool for almost a decade.

L175, the 175,000 sq ft industrial and logistics facility at Liverpool International Business Park (LIBP), is the first development of its kind brought to the market by Peel since starting its joint partnership with Macquarie Capital in June 2015.

Scheduled for completion in August 2016, L175 is near to Jaguar Land Rover’s Halewood plant, John Lennon Airport and Peel Ports’ £300 million Liverpool2. Existing tenants at LIBP include B&M Retail and Prinovis.

Matthew Fitton, development director of Peel Logistics, says: “L175 will be attractive to a number of occupational sectors, for example its proximity to the Jaguar Landrover plant at Halewood makes it an ideal location for the automotive sector serving the JLR supply chain, particularly given the 30 minute just in time principle for the delivery of parts to the Halewood plant.

“In addition we are witnessing high levels of take up in the region from the ecommerce sectors whilst the move to on-shoring by the UK’s resurgent manufacturing sectors will make L175 appealing to occupiers.

“Finally, the impact of Liverpool 2, Peel Ports’ £300m investment in a new deep sea container terminal, will have a transformational effect on the logistics market in the North West. Again L175 is well placed to satisfy this predicted occupier demand for new warehousing space.”

Peel announced its joint venture with Macquarie Capital in June 2015 and the Culina Logistics development at Port Salford was the partnership’s first project.

Discussing the joint venture, Fitton says: “The commitment by Peel Logistics to the 175,000 sq ft speculative development at Liverpool International Business Park is further evidence that the joint venture between Peel Land and Property and Macquarie Capital is quickly developing a track record in the delivery of Grade A logistics warehousing facilities.

“This track record is further evidenced by the excellent progress being made at Port Salford, where the construction of the 280,000 sq ft facility pre let to Culina Logistics is well advanced, with completion scheduled for March 2016.”

Port Salford will become the UK’s first ‘tri-modal’ inland port facility and distribution park meaning it is accessible by road, rail and short-sea shipping.