Prime warehouse site acquired by Barwood for £12m scheme

UK based real estate investment and development specialist, Barwood Capital, has acquired a prime 2-acre freehold site in Stevenage from BlueBird Land as part of its Growth Fund V for a £12m warehouse scheme.

The strategic site, currently an obsolete office with an existing planning consent, will be redeveloped speculatively to deliver a high-quality industrial unit totalling 36,000 sq ft.

The site, situated just off Gunnels Wood Road in Stevenage’s principal employment area, approximately 30 miles from London and Cambridge and 17 miles from the M25 is ideally positioned to address pronounced market imbalances. The local market is currently characterised by a lack of Grade A availability and increasing demand for industrial stock.

The news comes as a Savills report has found that it expects an uplift in demand for industrial and logistics space of between 6% and 15% of the long-run average annual take-up in the UK.

Barwood Capital, in partnership with BlueBird Land, intends to target a BREEAM Excellent rating for the new unit, with practical completion anticipated in Q4 2026.

This aligns with Barwood Capital’s focus on delivering sustainable, high-quality industrial accommodation in supply-constrained locations.

Barwood Capital was advised by DTRE and Forsters.  BlueBird Land was advised by Joiner Cummings, Adroit Real Estate Advisors and Hill Dickinson.

Jonny Ellerington, Investment Director at Barwood Capital, commented:

“We are delighted to secure this strategically located site in Stevenage, which offers an outstanding opportunity to deliver another Grade A industrial scheme under Growth Fund V.

“This development will strengthen our portfolio with a further high-quality asset that meets strong environmental standards, addressing the pressing demand in a market which is currently undersupplied.

“By working alongside BlueBird Land, we are committed to creating a sustainable, future-proofed asset that will meet the needs of occupiers and support employment in the area."

Jeff Wilson, Co-founder of BlueBird Land, commented:

 “Having acquired the site in January 2025, we submitted a planning application in March and received unanimous support from members at the July planning committee.”

“We are excited to have completed the sale, and to team up with Barwood to deliver this best-in-class high quality urban logistics unit.”