A leading rail freight company is investing £3 million in new offices and a training centre on the edge of Peterborough city centre.
Lindum has been appointed to build the new three-storey operational and training facility for GB Railfreight at its site in Maskew Avenue.
The work will involve demolition of existing temporary office buildings and construction of a new building to house a control room, three classrooms, board room and staff welfare facilities.
GBRf is expanding operations to meet increasing demand for rail freight. At present its fleet management and control centre is located in Peterborough, with a resource centre in Doncaster and additional offices across the UK. Nationwide GBRf has an 850 strong workforce.
GBRf was granted planning permission for the Peterborough scheme in December 2019, with Peterborough-based construction company Lindum involved in the project since the early stages. The building will be completed in November 2020.
John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said: “The plans for our new Peterborough office have been a long time in the making and following planning permission being granted at the end of last year, we are eager to get shovels in the ground so that we can provide the best possible facilities for our colleagues.
“Our decision to award Lindum with the construction contract was an easy one to make. Their reputation and track record sets them apart.”
Speaking about the scheme, Lindum Project manager Steve Angus said: “It is great to see a market-leading company like GBRf reaffirming its commitment to Peterborough in this way and we are delighted to be involved in the project.
“This particular site is brown field land and was previously owned by Network Rail. It is positive to see it being regenerated in this way. The land is close to the city centre and, with the planned access road, car parking spaces and forty bike spaces, it will prove to be a much-improved home for GBRf.”
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in London, GB Railfreight is the third largest rail freight operator in the UK, with a turnover in excess of £200 million. GB Railfreight is one of the fastest growing companies in the railway sector and transports goods for a wide range of customers.
Dean Duthie, Head of Major Projects said: “This is a fantastic investment for us, bringing together a variety of teams under one roof. The training school will support our state-of-the-art class 66 simulators, whilst our control tower overlooks East Coast mainline bringing us closer to frontline operations.
“It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead on such scheme.”
