Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal

File:DIRFT1.png

Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal is part of a land development project undertaken by Severn Trent Water on a {{convert|174|ha|acre|order=flip}} site near Crick in Northamptonshire.{{Cite web |title=Annual Report and Accounts 2001 |url=http://www.severntrent.com/upload/pdf/PLC_reportandaccounts_2001.pdf |access-date=21 January 2012 |publisher=Severn Trent |at=Property, p. 11}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The location, at junction 18 of the M1 motorway in close proximity to the A5, A14 and M6 roads had been identified as early as 1978 as a "motorway-orientated growth point".Sources:

• {{Citation |last=Brian Turton |title=The Geographical Magazine |year=1970}}
• {{citation| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sG6DhMwj96UC| title = Driving Spaces: A Cultural-Historical Geography of England's M1 Motorway | author = Peter Merriman| publisher = John Wiley & Sons| year= 2011 |page=203| isbn = 9781444355475 |access-date=21 January 2012}} The ground area of the original DIRFT development is divided into three sections: DIRFT Central {{convert|16|ha|acre|abbr=on|order=flip}}, DIRFT East {{convert|53|ha|acre|abbr=on|order=flip}}, and DIRFT South {{convert|55|ha|acre|abbr=on|order=flip}} by the A5 and A428 roads.Sources:
• {{Citation |title=An Introduction to DIRFT |work=www.daventrydc.gov.uk |url=http://www.daventrydc.gov.uk/EasysiteWeb/getresource.axd?AssetID=10395&type=full&servicetype=Attachment |access-date=21 January 2012}}
• {{citation|url =http://www.daventrydc.gov.uk/EasysiteWeb/getresource.axd?AssetID=10409&type=full&servicetype=Attachment |title = Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal – Design Guide – Sustainability Appraisal|date=December 2005| author = Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners (nlp)| work = www.daventrydc.gov.uk|access-date=21 January 2012}}

The site first became operational on 27 May 1997, and was officially opened in November 1997 by Anne, Princess Royal,Daventry Railport Opens Rail Express issue 15 August 1997 page 10HRH Princess Royal opens terminal Rail issue 319 3 December 1997 page 7{{Citation |title=Severn Trent Property develops facilities in the UK, primarily for distribution, retail and industrial sectors (reproduced from Hemmington Scott annual report) |work=www2.hemscott.com |url=http://www2.hemscott.com/EQUITIES/COMPANY/AR/ID/02046/AR97/PROPERTY.HTM |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126084655/http://www2.hemscott.com/EQUITIES/COMPANY/AR/ID/02046/AR97/PROPERTY.HTM |archive-date=26 January 2013 |url-status=dead |publisher=Hemmington Scott Ltd |quote=In July 1997, the International Rail Freight Terminal at Daventry, Northamptonshire, became operational. The railport, which is operated by Tibbett & Britten Plc, was officially opened by the Princess Royal on 13 November 1997, together with 475,000 sq ft of warehouse and office space developed on the site by Eddie Stobart Limited}} at inception the facility included a {{convert|475000|sqft|m2}} warehouse operated for road haulage operator Eddie Stobart. The rail connected terminal was operated by Tibbett and Britten; construction of a {{convert|210000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} rail connected warehouse was started in 1998,{{Citation |title=TURF CUT AT DIRFT FOR NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTRE |date=27 August 1998 |work=www.hayesanderson.com |url=http://www.hayesanderson.com/tibbett-britten/press/98press/27aug98.php |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125194215/http://www.hayesanderson.com/tibbett-britten/press/98press/27aug98.php |archive-date=25 January 2013 |url-status=dead}} a second {{convert|24600|m2|sqft|abbr=on|order=flip}} facility was constructed in 2000.Sources:

• {{Citation |title=Tibbett & Britten Distribution Centre |work=www.sfrplc.com |url=http://www.sfrplc.com/project_details_1.aspx?projectID=231 |access-date=17 January 2012 |publisher=Severfield-Rowen Plc}}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• {{citation| url = http://www.hayesanderson.com/tibbett-britten/press/00press/22jun00.php| title = WORK STARTS ON SECOND TIBBETT & BRITTEN WAREHOUSE AT DIRFT| date = 22 June 2000| work = www.hayesanderson.com| access-date = 21 January 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160624070551/http://www.hayesanderson.com/tibbett-britten/press/00press/22jun00.php| archive-date = 24 June 2016| url-status = dead}}

DIRFT was one of the earliest post-Channel Tunnel road-rail intermodal terminals – the site includes rail connected terminals and traditional warehousing was designed to act as a regional node for rail freight flows to and from the Port of Felixstowe and the Channel Tunnel,{{Citation |last=John Ratcliffe |title=Urban planning and real estate development |year=2009 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E9Amkpj-AIQC |at=Freight Villages, pp.596–597 |edition=3 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781134106653 |last2=Michael Stubbs |last3=Miles Keeping}} it forms part of the UK network of the Trans-European Combined Transport network.

The site was primarily developed by Severn Trent Property, part of Severn Trent Water. Early occupiers included Royal Mail,{{Citation |title=Consignia chooses DIRFT for £40m postal hub |date=1 November 2002 |work=m.propertyweek.com |url=http://m.propertyweek.com/news/consignia-chooses-dirft-for-%C2%A340m-postal-hub/3022931.article |access-date=21 January 2012}} Tesco ('Fastway RDC' operated by DHL) (closed 2009),{{Citation |title=Tesco – we will not sacrifice food space |date=1 November 2003 |work=The Grocer |url=http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/companies/tesco-we-will-not-sacrifice-food-space/89389.article |access-date=21 January 2012}}{{Citation |title=Tesco closes Fastway DC |date=13 March 2009 |work=www.logisticsmanager.com |url=http://www.logisticsmanager.com/Articles/11179/Tesco+closes+Fastway+DC.html |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120915114230/http://www.logisticsmanager.com/Articles/11179/Tesco+closes+Fastway+DC.html |archive-date=15 September 2012 |url-status=dead}} and Mothercare.{{Citation |title=Mothercare focuses on a planned delivery |date=21 August 2002 |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3298231/Mothercare-focuses-on-a-planned-delivery.html |access-date=21 January 2012}} In 2004, {{convert|74|acre|ha|abbr=on}} of undeveloped land on the site with a capacity for {{convert|1400000|sqft|m2|abbr=on|sigfig=2}} of warehousing was sold to a British Land/ Rosemound joint venture,{{Citation |title=Part of dIRft sold |date=1 May 2004 |work=www.logisticsmanager.com |url=http://www.logisticsmanager.com/Articles/3431/Part+of+dIRft+sold.html |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127230751/http://www.logisticsmanager.com/Articles/3431/Part+of+dIRft+sold.html |archive-date=27 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}{{Citation |title=British Land and Rosemound acquire at DIRFT |date=5 April 2004 |url=http://www.britishland.com/index.asp?pageid=42&newsid=205 |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121200431/http://www.britishland.com/index.asp?pageid=42 |archive-date=21 January 2012 |url-status=dead |publisher=British Land}} British Land subsequently let its holding to several customers including a {{convert|750000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} warehouse let to Tesco in 2005.{{Citation |title=British Land/Rosemound jv lets 750,000 sq ft to Tesco at Dirft, Daventry (UK) |date=17 March 2005 |work=www.europe-re.com |url=http://www.europe-re.com/system/main.php?pageid=2616&articleid=4201 |access-date=21 January 2012}}

Severn Trent plc sold its holding in DIRFT, as well as the {{convert|130|acre|ha|abbr=on}} DIRFT II site to Prologis in 2006.{{Citation |last=Sinead Cruise |title=ProLogis secures Severn Trent properties |date=18 October 2006 |work=www.building.co.uk |url=http://www.building.co.uk/news/prologis-secures-severn-trent-properties/3075452.article |access-date=21 January 2012}}{{Citation |title=Disposal |date=6 November 2006 |url=http://www.severntrent.com/conWebDoc/258 |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419201231/http://www.severntrent.com/conWebDoc/258 |archive-date=19 April 2012 |url-status=dead |publisher=Severn Trent}} In 2008 Malcolm Rail became the operator of the railport at DIRFT.{{Citation |last=Jim Clark |title=Scotland's Transport Future In A Changing World |date=27 September 2011 |work=iatp.info |url=http://iatp.info/Presentations/Jim%20Clark.pdf |access-date=21 January 2012 |publisher=WH Malcolm Ltd}}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

File:DIRFT2.png

In 2005 planning permission was granted for a rail connected {{convert|54|ha|acre|abbr=on|order=flip}} westward expansion of the original site with a built ground area of over {{convert|180000|m2|sqft|abbr=on|order=flip}}. The DIRFT II expansion was designed for rail connected warehousing allowing transfer between sea or Channel Tunnel-borne rail-freight and road transport or warehouse storage. Plans included facilities for containerised and side-loaded palletised rail freight.{{Citation |title=Prologis RFI DIRFTII Daventry |work=www.prologisrfidirft.co.uk |url=http://www.prologisrfidirft.co.uk/rfi_dirft.pdf |access-date=21 January 2012 |publisher=ProLogis}}

Tesco acquired a {{convert|840000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} grocery distribution centre in 2011, constructed by VolkerFitzpatrick (main contractor),Sources:

• {{Citation |title=Case Study: Tesco, DIRFT II, Daventry |work=www.cagroupltd.co.uk |url=http://www.cagroupltd.co.uk/dowloads/case_studies/cagp/cagp-tesco-dirft2.pdf |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227170414/http://www.cagroupltd.co.uk/dowloads/case_studies/cagp/cagp-tesco-dirft2.pdf |archive-date=27 February 2012 |url-status=dead |publisher=CA Group}}
• {{citation| url = http://www.volkerfitzpatrick.co.uk/bin/ibp.jsp?ibpZone=S2_TescoDriftbg&ibpDisplay=view&ibpPage=S2_FocusPage&ibpDispWho=S2_TescoDriftbg&ibpDispWhat=zone&| title = Tesco, Drift| work = www.volkerfitzpatrick.co.uk| publisher = VolkerFitzpatrick| access-date = 21 January 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120121215413/http://www.volkerfitzpatrick.co.uk/bin/ibp.jsp?ibpZone=S2_TescoDriftbg&ibpDisplay=view&ibpPage=S2_FocusPage&ibpDispWho=S2_TescoDriftbg&ibpDispWhat=zone&| archive-date = 21 January 2012| url-status = dead}}
• {{citation |url = http://www.prologis.co.uk/news-and-media/articles/tesco-commits-to-rail-at-dirft-ii.php |title = Tesco commits to rail |work = www.prologis.co.uk |access-date = 21 January 2012 }}{{Citation |title=Northamptonshire logistics go green |date=22 July 2011 |work=www.northamptonshireletyourselfgrow.com |url=http://www.northamptonshireletyourselfgrow.com/news/business/northamptonshire-logistics-go-green-01503 |access-date=21 January 2012}} construction work was completed in September 2011.{{Citation |title=Tesco's building goes up at DIRFT |date=20 September 2011 |work=www.logisticsmanager.com |url=http://www.logisticsmanager.com/Articles/16928/Tesco%E2%80%99s+building+goes+up+at+DIRFT.html |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326132804/http://www.logisticsmanager.com/Articles/16928/Tesco%E2%80%99s+building+goes+up+at+DIRFT.html |archive-date=26 March 2012 |url-status=dead}} As part of the development, a rail tunnel was built under the A5 road to connect DIRFT II to the rail network via the original DIRFT railport.Sources:
• {{Citation |title=Tesco at DIRFT II |work=www.prologis.co.uk |url=http://www.prologis.co.uk/our-customers/case-studies/tesco-at-dirft.php |access-date=21 January 2012}}
• {{citation |url = http://www.prologis.co.uk/pdfs/prologis-autumn-news-2011.pdf |title = News Focus : BOXING CLEVER |journal = Prologis News |date = Autumn–Winter 2011 |access-date = 21 January 2012 |page = 5 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120425131232/http://www.prologis.co.uk/pdfs/prologis-autumn-news-2011.pdf |archive-date = 25 April 2012 |url-status = dead }}

A further 7.5 million sq.ft. extension, DIRFT III, was proposed for construction on the former Rugby radio station site to the northwest of the current development. The proposal also included a large area {{convert|70|ha|acre|abbr=on|order=flip}} of green space, named Lilbourne Meadows. The development is a joint venture between ProLogis and Rugby Radio Station Limited Partnership (RRSLP) (BT and Aviva). The DIRFT III site would also be rail connected, with over {{convert|700000|m2|sqft|abbr=on|order=flip}} of warehousing over {{convert|163|ha|acre|order=flip}} of land plus a {{convert|3.5|ha|acre|abbr=on|order=flip}} HGV parking site. A related development is the Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE) built to the west of DIRFT as a suburb of Rugby, with over 6,000 homes planned.{{Citation |title=Thousands of new jobs in major DIRFT expansion |date=2 February 2011 |work=Rugby Advertiser |url=http://www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk/news/business/jobs/thousands_of_new_jobs_in_major_dirft_expansion_1_2373132 |access-date=21 January 2012}}{{Citation |title=DIRFT III – PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE |work=dirftiii.com |url=http://dirftiii.com/pdfs/Dirft-3-Summary-Proposal.pdf |access-date=21 January 2012}} The development took on the name of Houlton and the first homeowners moved in during December 2017.

A planning application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) was submitted in 2011, and was approved in July 2014.{{cite news |title=Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal approval confirmed |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-28158334 |access-date=8 December 2015 |work=BBC News}}

{{Clear}}

• Kilsby and Crick railway station – Former railway station on the site of the rail freight terminal.

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{{commons category|Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT)}}

• {{Citation |title=Prologis RFI Dirft Daventry |work=www.dirft.com |url=http://www.dirft.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010302050905/http://www.dirft.com/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2 March 2001 |publisher=ProLogis}}, official site
• {{Citation |title=DIRFT |work=www.dirft.com |url=http://www.dirft.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010302050905/http://www.dirft.com/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2 March 2001 |publisher=ProLogis}}, DIRFT official site

{{Intermodal railfreight terminals in the Great Britain}}

{{coord|52|20|59|N|1|10|04|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

Category:Railway freight terminals in the United Kingdom

Category:Rail transport in Warwickshire

Category:Rail transport in Northamptonshire

Category:Buildings and structures in Northamptonshire