PDS and The I D Meiklam Trust, advised by property consultant CBRE, Ryden and Ironside Farrar, have secured planning permission from the Scottish Government for the Mossend International Railfreight Park project.

The project, an expansion of the current Mossend Railhead terminal, and the creation of a unique rail freight enabled logistics park will bring a strategic and modern rail facility to Scotland, with connections to the UK and mainland Europe.

The development will create 2.2m sq ft of space to include manufacturing, distribution and logistics service operations, a 775m long European-class electrified rail terminal, a new access road to the A8 to the north of the site and a network of community greenspace.

Mossend International Railfreight Park will help deliver the Scottish Government’s Economic Strategy for Scotland (March 2015), which includes boosting competitiveness, harnessing the private sector’s contribution to achieving economic growth, and the four priority areas of investment, innovation, inclusive growth and internationalisation.

Located beside Bellshill, the Mossend development has the potential to generate 2,200 construction jobs and 2,700 full time operational roles in a range of occupations for the local area.

Andrew Stirling from PDS said: “The expansion of our existing facility will offer a unique rail freight enabled logistics proposition for Scotland. Proximity to the upgraded M8, capacity for more than 2.2 million sq ft (200,000 sq m) of warehousing and an ability to take electric trains of 775m length will bring economic benefits alongside reduced CO2 emissions.”

Doug Smith, Chairman of CBRE in Scotland, said: “There are few opportunities to create an integrated logistics hub of this scale, quality and economic significance around the UK. We are delighted that with planning permission in principle now secured we can assist PDS and I D Meiklam Trust in the next stages of its development, securing investment, activity and employment for the local area.”