Amazon has today (12 May 2015) announced that it will be opening a 310,000 sq ft fulfillment centre at Prologis Park, Dunstable, creating 500 new permanent jobs.   It is anticipated the new centre will begin fulfilling customer orders in the Autumn.

“Location had a great deal to do with the success of this deal, as did the enormous benefit of having previously assigned a Local Development Order (LDO) to this area which really helped speed things up for Amazon” said Jason Longhurst, Director of Business and Regeneration at Central Bedfordshire Council.  “We’re now working on a recruitment and training programme to fill 500 new permanent jobs.”

Prologis is investing in its site on Boscombe Road because it believes it to be a strong location for the logistics sector and offers some of the best opportunities for its customers in the South East market.  While Prologis was granted planning consent for the building in 2013, the subsequent implementation of an LDO in the area removed the need to seek planning permission for a wide range of developments.  It is a reflection of the positive and proactive approach that Central Bedfordshire Council has to eliminating bureaucracy and nurturing the right environment for businesses to expand and develop. 

It is this proactive, flexible approach which proved so valuable for both companies. For Prologis, in assisting it to secure a tenant for the speculative building and for Amazon, in securing the necessary sign off for the mezzanine floor and providing a swift decision on its planning application for a multi-storey car park. Enabling planning permission within approximately  five weeks rather than the standard 13 weeks for this category of application, has cut months off the planning process.