Planning consent has been obtained by RPMI Railpen and Wrenbridge for a 185,000 sq ft warehouse development in Dartford, set to create approximately 500 new jobs.

The 9-acre site was acquired by Railpen in February 2020 and will be developed into five Grade A warehouse units ranging in size from 13,000 sq ft to 73,000 sq ft.

Alastair Dawson, Senior Asset Manager at Railpen, said: “Despite the challenges presented by the current Covid-19 crisis, we are pleased to be able to efficiently move forward with this major project. Achieving consent for Dartford is a great step in expanding Railpen’s industrial portfolio, and the subsequent creation of jobs reflects the keen focus on social aspects of our investment strategy.”

The site is easily accessible from Central London and other areas of Kent via major motorway and railway links, and benefits from close proximity to Junction 1A of the M25 corridor and City Airport.

The new development will form part of The Bridge, a 1.8m sq ft mixed-use development which currently provides commercial accommodation for occupiers such as Mercedes, DHL, Sainsbury’s and Network Rail.

Work on the new development was scheduled to start in October, and due for completion in June 2021.