Episode #3: Out of Office around Magna Park with John Lewis
John Lewis’ base in Magna Park, Milton Keynes is a gigantic 2.1m sq ft space which initially opened in June 2009. Its operations are spread across two warehouse facilities, Magna Park 1 and Magna Park 2, working harmoniously to fulfil online customer orders and in-store stock. Ever wondered what goes on inside these vast facilities?SHD Logistics assistant editor David Tran went along to visit one of the UK’s best loved retailers to find out. David summarises some of the key features in these warehouses, including advanced automation from KNAPP, who were appointed by the retailer to design and deliver the site’s intralogistics solution. Retail operators like John Lewis benefit from their situation in Milton Keynes, where there is a capacity to build large warehouses while remaining in close proximity to the UK’s most important motorway networks.Warehouse property developer Gazeley has a widespread property development project across Milton Keynes, which includes its latest speculative building close to Magna Park. The 574,000sq ft site is the tallest and largest speculative development in the UK and possesses some enhanced features to ensure it meets the demand of a wide number of potential tenants. We find out more about these special features in a tour of the site with Development Director Joe Garwood.