Plans have been formally submitted for one of the largest ever logistics units in Suffolk - which will create more than one million square feet of space.

The warehousing unit for The Range will generate up to 1,650 jobs and the £200million project will be a key part of the Gateway 14 project at Stowmarket.

Mid Suffolk District Council has now received the plans for the work at Mill Lane, along with detailed plans for the general development of the whole Gateway 14 site at Junction 50 of the A14, including roads, cycleways, landscaping, utilities, and traffic crossing.

The Range building will provide overall space of 1,172,179sq ft and a flexible distribution warehouse space with offices and other facilities, constructed to current commercial standards to accommodate a single occupier in the whole building.

The building will not be open to the general public.

There will be 802 car parking spaces along with 32 for motorcycles and 558 for cycles, plus parking for 200 trucks.

Gateway 14 - which is wholly owned by Mid Suffolk District Council and is part of the government's Freeport scheme - will progress the site with its development partner Jaynic.

The Range - one of the fastest growing retailers in the UK - operates more than 200 stores nationwide. It sells more than 65,000 products across 16 different departments, including homeware and furniture, DIY items and art supplies.

It is planning a further 100-plus stores over the next five years, as well as building its online presence.

It is hoped that building work will start in January 2023 and be completed in the autumn of the same year.

Infrastructure work at Gateway 14 - which has outline planning consent for a 2.36m sq ft mixed-use innovation, business and warehousing scheme - is already underway.

East Anglian Daily Times: Alex Simpkin, chief executive of garden and homeware goods retailer The Range, said it was investing £200m in its new facility at Gateway 14 in StowmarketAlex Simpkin, chief executive of garden and homeware goods retailer The Range, said it was investing £200m in its new facility at Gateway 14 in Stowmarket (Image: The Range)

The Range chief executive Alex Simpkin said: “This acquisition represents a £200m investment and is integral to our expansion plans. We were naturally attracted to the site due to its commitment to sustainability and proximity to the East coast container port of Felixstowe. The Freeport benefits that Gateway 14 provides allows us to evolve our ecommerce division nationwide and accelerate store growth."

As part of Freeport East - one of only eight Freeports in the UK - Gateway 14 benefits from a range of tax reliefs and simplified customs arrangements.