In November, an application was made to Warrington Borough Council by MFP Warrington (HG) Ltd seeking prior approval for the demolition of buildings.
This is at the former Iceland warehouse at Hardwick Grange in Woolston, which was acquired by industrial developer Panattoni for £135million.
Supermarket chain Iceland moved out of the Woolston site and into a new, 500,000 square-foot, £100million warehouse at Omega in April.
Panattoni plans to develop a new sustainable logistics site on a speculative basis, replacing the ‘outdated’ buildings with new modern, energy-efficient warehouses to ‘meet rising demand’.
Plans for the demolition of buildings at the site have now been given the green light by the council.
Planning documents state: “The site extends to approximately 12.16 hectares. It comprises three industrial buildings, alongside ancillary structures, internal access roads, loading bays for HGVs, and an employee and visitor car park.
“The buildings were previously in use as an Iceland frozen food distribution facility. The site is now unoccupied following its recent acquisition.
“The application seeks confirmation as to whether prior approval is deemed necessary and, if so, seeks prior approval for the demolition of all buildings and structures at the site.
“The buildings are dated and have become redundant in connection with their original use. They no longer suit the requirements of modern industry.
“Their demolition is intended to create space for the site’s redevelopment in the near future, to ensure that the site remains attractive to future occupiers, and to promote the continued success of the employment area.
“The demolition has been discussed with Warrington Borough Council through the pre-application process, and no issues have been raised.
“It is intended that the selective demolition will commence from December 2025 onwards, to enable further site investigations and other technical works to take place to inform a future planning application.”
Environmental monitoring, including dust, noise, vibration, and waste management measures, will be in place through the demolition process.
Dan Burn, head of development for the north west at Panattoni, previously said: “We are delighted to have acquired this major strategic site in Warrington.
“The obsolete buildings are at the end of their economic life, and our intention is to bring forward a high-quality, sustainable redevelopment that reflects both the site’s potential and its importance to the local economy.
“We look forward to working collaboratively with Warrington Borough Council and our planning consultants to refine our proposals ahead of submitting a planning application.”