- The new regional office will help DFDS expand its logistics operations
- Lindum Peterborough will build a new purpose-built ambient warehouse once work to the logistics office is finished
- A selection of bricks from a former bungalow were gifted to a family who lived on the site before DFDS took it over to use with its offices
Lindum has started work to build a new £3m regional office for international shipping and logistics company DFDS.
The new building will create a modern working standard and help the business to expand.
Once work is finished, the DFDS staff will move into the new office block, and then the old office will be demolished and replaced by a purpose-built ambient warehouse.
Members of Lindum and DFDS attended a sod cutting event to mark the work beginning.
Matt O’Dell, Managing Director of DFDS Logistics UK&I Cold Chain, said: “We’re thrilled to begin work on the state-of-the-art office facility at DFDS Peterborough.
“This project is the result of meticulous planning by our dedicated internal project team, working in collaboration with our partners at Lindum Group, who have been very generous with their knowledge and expertise.
“The new building represents our business principles and hits the core pillars of our recently launched strategy. It shows our dedication to innovation, growth, and most importantly, providing our colleagues with a high-quality work environment.
“The office is expected to open in February 2025 and we’re all excited to see all the hard work come to fruition.”
The three-storey building will feature a ground floor reception and facilities, first floor office space and a second-floor open terrace. There will also be solar panels installed on the roof to help reduce the running costs of the building.
Lindum will also deliver a warehouse for incoming deliveries attached to the new offices, which will eventually link to a further warehouse facility to be built when the existing offices come down.
Darren King, Lindum Peterborough Managing Director, also attended the start on site event. He said: “It is great to see this project getting off the ground and marking the start of what will be a large project for a valued client.
“Having worked with DFDS to develop the scheme over the past two years, we have built a good relationship with them which will only be strengthened by this exciting project to help them modernise and expand their business.”
Work on the new build offices is expected to finish early next year, with the new warehouse following on once the staff move is complete.
Darling Bricks of May
Before work began on the construction of the new office building, an old office block and shower room had to be demolished. This block was formerly a residential bungalow, before DFDS took over to use with its current offices.
Lindum was approached by the Crawford family, who had lived in the bungalow since their grandfather moved there following taking a job as a car mechanic for a garage on site after World War II.
Chris Crawford said: “After World War II my grandparents moved there and took residence in the bungalow. It came as part of my grandfather’s job as mechanic/engineer and site caretaker, and they lived there all of their life. This was my father’s and uncle’s family home, and over time the kind of HQ for the growing family of grand kids.
“I can only describe this place as our Darling Buds of May, albeit no Rolls Royce or geese.”
Lindum was asked by the family for a selection of the original bricks to distribute to the family, some to be used on future home developments and some for a keepsake.
Members of the Lindum project team met members of the Crawford family to show them the site and to handover some of the original bricks.
