Sustainability is at the heart of Gateway 14 – a major development that forms part of
Freepost East, and the site of a new 1.2m sq ft distribution centre for The Range.
Gateway 14 is a new 156-acre business, innovation, and logistics park, overlooking
Junction 50 of the A14 in Stowmarket, Suffolk.
The environment is a key priority for Mid Suffolk District Council – which owns Gateway 14
Ltd. So, working in conjunction with development partner Jaynic, they are keen to ensure all
development is sustainable – mitigating climate change, reducing energy consumption and
limiting carbon emissions.
This includes the new logistics warehouse for The Range, one of the fastest growing
retailers in the UK.The Range has two existing distribution centres in the north and south-west of the
country, with the third and final distribution centre at Gateway 14 serving the south and
southeast of England.
The Range is committed to reducing environmental impact and has been an early adopter
of sustainable measures elsewhere.Their unit at Gateway 14 has recently received detailed planning consent and will be BREEAM Excellent - exceeding the planning requirements for BREEAM Very Good –
achieving net zero to shell and core and an EPC A rating.
Joe Clarke, Senior Commercial Manager at Jaynic, says: “The sustainability agenda now
plays a very important part in every development we plan. Here at Gateway 14 we are
even future-proofing the scheme. For example, the infrastructure is now in place to
provide surplus energy from PVs on The Range’s roof to other units as and when they are
built.”
Gateway 14 will feature high specification buildings that include EV charging as more
commercial vehicles are electric powered, LED lighting, solar, smart energy systems and
rainwater harvesting.
Walking and cycling routes will be integrated, along with access to public transport links
and local amenities. Upgrades to a section of the Gipping Valley Path adjacent to Gateway
14 have recently been completed increasing plant life and wildlife as well as improving
public access along the river.
Biodiversity on the site is also a priority, with high-quality landscaping, green corridors
and nesting boxes all being introduced. The proposals for the project will exceed the 10%
Biodiversity Net Gain requirement by providing 54.66% for habitat units and a 100% gain
for hedgerow/linear features.
Over 15,500 trees, 2,200m of native hedgerow, 30,000m2 of native buffer planting,
62,000m2 of wildflower meadows will be provided, with any mown amenity grass proposed
as carbons sequestering grass.
As one element of the growing ESG standards, areas of open space will include hard
landscape and mown grass footpaths through orchards and wildflower meadows for
employees and wider public access, widening out into breakout spaces at intervals.
There are also links to the wider footpath network and public open spaces, through to
eventual countryside footpaths and bridleways.
Gateway 14 is creating a scheme where its sustainability programme not only meets the
wider climate change provisions but responds to occupier ESG requirements, as well as the
investment demands of the financing institutions.
