DC5 DIRFT III Royal Mail Daventry, UK

SGP, working with Buckingham Group Construction for client Prologis, delivered a purpose-built Royal Mail warehouse with a dedicated rail platform connected to the West Coast Mainline, plus a vehicle maintenance unit, transport office and multi-storey car park linked to a three-storey administration block.

The warehouse, about the size of 10 football pitches, has an 18m haunch height, undercroft with eight level-access doors and 226 dock levellers. Designed as Royal Mail’s largest parcel hub, it can handle over one million items per day and features distinctive red banding.

With limited space for ground-level landscaping, SGP designed two roof-top gardens with seating and bespoke planters – one on the multi-storey car park, connected to the main building by a bridge, and one above the offices with views over the site and countryside.

Sustainability was central to the project, which achieved BREEAM Excellent through thermal cladding, rainwater harvesting, PV panels and 15% rooflights with sensor-controlled LED lighting. SGP designed the base build and core areas and, with Buckingham Group, is now delivering the two-year fit-out.