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Demand for warehouse space next to the Dartford Crossing is booming.
A £17m scheme to build seven warehouses on Bridge Close dubbed Panorama is due to be completed by the end of the month.
And with 70% of its 88,900 sq ft industrial units already sold demand is fast outstripping supply as shed schemes overtake skyscrapers in the real estate market.
Industrial developers Chancerygate are selling warehouse space at Crossways Business Park on either a freehold or leasehold basis.
Once complete, the scheme’s first three occupiers will consist of paper board merchants PPB Limited, vehicle body repairs company, Truck Align and laser and special effects provider, ER Productions.
The development is strategically placed next to the Dartford Bridge with road links to the M25 as well as access to the A13, A2 and M20 for the Channel Tunnel giving entry into Europe.
Chancerygate development manager, Matthew Young, said: “The excellent location and quality of accommodation at Panorama means interest in the scheme has been high since we unveiled our plans for the site.
“The forward commitments demonstrate the strong demand from occupiers in the area seeking well located, Grade A, freehold units and there is strong interest in the remaining units.”
Nearby occupiers on the Crossways Boulevard include Yodel, DHL, Furniture Village and Amazon.
Online shopping has spiked during lockdown with retailers increasingly looking for large warehouses and logistics centres to base their operations.
Amazon is also in line to takeover a £205m "Mega Box" redevelopment of Littlebrook Power Station , based on the other side of the Dartford Tunnel approach.
The skeletal white frame of the four storey warehouse has already been constructed and once complete will be the largest in Europe.
It represents the second phase of the brownfield site's transformation into new distribution centres with the first stage having already been given the green light.
On Thursday Dartford council's development control board heard two applications for a further five warehouses next to the Crossing.
The shed scheme on the existing Bridge development is being spearheaded by investment firm RPMI Railpen, next to sites currently occupied by Mercedes, Sainsbury’s and logistics firm DHL.
It includes the erection of three industrial units on a vacant slot along Marsh Street North, and another two opposite the lake at Rennie Drive. Plans also provide for associated office space and a diversion of the existing footpath.
More than 100 objections were lodged against the proposals.
Neighbours raised concerns over added traffic, noise and the access points of HGVs coming in and out of the estate
Discussing the Marsh road development Cllr Tom Oliver said: "My biggest fear is it only adds further to the complete chaos and misery for the residents at the junction 1A roundabout during busy periods."
And while the Conservative councillor said it was positive firms wanted to invest in the area he held reservations over the impact to existing families residing there.
These concerns were shared by Cllr Brian Garden (Con) who raised the issue of the 24 hour operation of the site and the increase of HGVs in the area, estimated to be an additional 1100 vehicle trips.
Cllr Tom Maddison pointed out the pressure on existing Fastrack bus services and sought assurances from Kent County Council.
The authority, which will take over the running of the service from 2022, said it was "heavily invested in Fasttrack and will strive to deliver a better system for the residents and for everyone else".
However, in support of the shed scheme it was noted the remaining plots in question have sat vacant for a number of years and had been signposted for commercial development.
A letter of support was submitted by the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce which advised they provided much needed unit types and strong sustainability measures.
The masterplan of the overall Bridge development was granted approval in 2002.
In 2014 an amendment to that outline permission was approved which altered the use of other plots to the south from commercial to residential.
The Bridge housing development is now almost complete and consists of 1,500 homes, a primary school and Leigh Technology college, together with large areas of open space and other facilities.
Dartford councillors voted 7-2 to approve the proposals for plots 32-34 with mitigation measures to minimise the impact of HGVs and landscaping.
