AIPUT achieves a key expansion to its Heathrow portfolio at Blackthorne Point

Black Arrow, the proposed new warehouse at Blackthorne Point reflects confidence in the long-term strength of demand for this established industrial location serving Heathrow

Aberdeen Standard Investments’ AIPUT fund (Airport Industrial Property Unit Trust) has secured a resolution to grant planning permission from Slough Borough Council’s Planning Committee for Black Arrow, a high-quality speculative-build warehouse development at its Blackthorne Point industrial estate in Poyle.

The high-spec, 27,760 sq ft (2,579 sq m) GIA industrial warehouse will occupy a vacant brownfield site immediately across the M25 from Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Black Arrow will deliver a flexible industrial warehouse supporting B1c, B2 and B8 uses, similar in proportion to an existing planning consent granted in 2017. However, the building will incorporate a number of new environmental initiatives - including air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels - delivering a 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions over building regulation requirements and the achievement of a BREEAM ‘very good’ rating. AIPUT’s Carbon Strategy requires the fund to achieve carbon neutrality across its portfolio by 2025.

The Black Arrow development follows swiftly on the heels of several key letting announcements by AIPUT at Blackthorne Point during 2019, following the refurbishment of several existing units. Current tenants at the 156,000 sq ft facility include UPS, Horizon International and C. H. Robinson. The delivery of additional high quality warehousing strongly positions Blackthorne Point (and the wider Poyle Trading Estate location) to benefit significantly from the expected future expansion of Heathrow Airport and the growth of its air cargo service, which the airport’s owners project to reach at least 3 million tonnes per year by 2040.

Fraser Green, Portfolio Manager for AIPUT, said:
“This welcome new addition to our Blackthorne Point estate delivers on AIPUT’s long-term vision to facilitate the continuing growth of our high-quality air cargo portfolio at key locations serving Heathrow. Black Arrow will set a new quality benchmark for airport-related industrial warehousing at Poyle, delivering cutting-edge environmental performance.”

The scheme has also been designed to bring a number of benefits to the wider Poyle Trading Estate, including enhanced access to the estate through widening part of Blackthorne Road to enable two lorries to pass easily, as well as improving pedestrian safety by widening the footpath to 2m.

Subject to the timing of an S106 Agreement, AIPUT hopes that the Black Arrow facility will be ready for tenant occupation by October 2020.

Media enquiries

For further information on AIPUT:

John Mills/Melissa Carver: 020 7630 1411
AIPUT@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk
The Communication Group plc

For further information on Aberdeen Standard Investments:

Dannielle McAllister
0131 372 2750
dannielle.mcallister@aberdeenstandard.com

Notes to editors

About AIPUT

• Aberdeen Standard Investment’s Airport Industrial Property Unit Trust (AIPUT) is an award-winning expert long-term investor specialising in industrial property on and near major UK airports. AIPUT is the only specialist airport-focused industrial fund in the UK for institutional investors. AIPUT aims to deliver a strong ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) performance throughout its portfolio, with a strategic target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. The fund has successfully achieved GRESB Green Star status in each of the last four years.
• The fund manages a prime portfolio of properties providing high-quality and customised warehouse and logistics space:
  • £700m assets under management (@ October 2019)
  • 20 assets, amounting to c2.5m sq ft
  • 2.1m sq ft of assets at Heathrow, making AIPUT one of the largest landlords around the airport, serving the evolving needs of the airport and the air-freight related industry.
  • Assets at London’s three major international airports: Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted
  • Target clients and investors – pension funds & expert institutional investors

About Aberdeen Standard Investments

• Aberdeen Standard Investments is one of Europe’s largest real estate investment managers, managing £44.5 billion of real estate assets across UK, Europe and Asia. Our dedicated team of 270 real estate investment professionals manages more than 1,600 real estate assets worldwide, and are based in 19 offices (including London, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Paris, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Boston. (30 June 2019)
• Aberdeen Standard Investments is a global asset manager dedicated to creating long-term value for our clients. With over 1,000 investment professionals, we manage £525.7 billion* of assets worldwide. We have clients in c.80 countries supported by over 40 offices globally. This ensures we are close to our clients and the markets in which we invest. (*as of 30 June 2019)
• We are high-conviction, long-term investors who believe teamwork and collaboration are the key to delivering repeatable, superior investment performance.
• You can access the Aberdeen Standard Investments media centre here:
  https://www.aberdeenstandard.com/news-and-media

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