M&S starts building major £340million warehouse in UK county – opens in 2029
More than 200 M&S Food stores will be serviced by the new distribution centre.
Marks & Spencer has started building a major new £340million warehouse in Northamptonshire (Image: M&S)
Marks & Spencer has started building a major new £340million warehouse in Northamptonshire as part of plans to modernise its food supply chain. The retailer confirmed construction is now under way on its new automated National Distribution Centre (NDC), which is set to open in 2029. The 1.3 million-square-foot site is the largest-ever investment in M&S’s supply chain and will support more than 1,000 permanent jobs once complete.
The milestone was marked with a steel-signing ceremony at the site, led by Michelle Elliman from the M&S Rugby store. She was joined by Kevin Bennett, CEO of Gist, M&S Food’s logistics arm, Stuart Andrew, MP for Daventry and Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and representatives from Prologis (the logistics property developer behind the site).
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The new depot will use advanced automation (Image: M&S)
More than 200 M&S Food stores will be serviced by the new distribution centre. The company said the site will increase capacity, reduce long-term costs and improve product availability for customers.
Mr Bennett said: “Starting the build on this site marks a major step in transforming M&S into a true destination for the weekly shop, with a modernised supply chain at the heart of that ambition. This investment will boost capacity for future growth, lower our long-term cost to serve, and improve product availability so customers get the right products in the right place at the right time.
“With construction under way, this new site strengthens our network and puts us ahead of the volume curve as we build a bigger, better Food business. By deploying the latest proven automation, we’re future-proofing our operations and UK retail logistics, while creating 1,000 permanent jobs on site.”
The project was first announced in August 2025. At the time, Alex Freudmann, managing director at M&S Food, said: “We’re transforming M&S into a destination for the weekly shop and modernising our supply chain is central to that ambition.
The milestone was marked with a steel-signing ceremony at the site (Image: M&S)
“This investment will boost capacity for future growth, lower our cost to serve over the long-term, and improve product availability – ensuring customers find the right products in the right place at the right time.
“Our new site will strengthen our network and help us get ahead of the volume curve as we build a bigger, better Food business. By using the latest, proven automation, we are future-proofing both our business and UK retail logistics, as well as creating 1,000 jobs permanently on site and 2,000 during the construction phase.”
The new depot will use advanced automation, including an automated pallet crane for long-life ambient products, a high-speed shuttle system for sorting and storing stock, and a hands-free picking solution that loads items directly onto store-ready delivery cages.
M&S said these systems will improve efficiency and accuracy, while making restocking faster and easier for colleagues in stores.
The building is designed to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding rating, placing it among the most sustainable buildings globally and making it M&S’s flagship Plan A warehouse.
More than 200 M&S Food stores will be serviced by the new distribution centre (Image: Getty)
Sustainability features will include responsibly sourced and recycled building materials, an EPC A+ rating with a large-scale rooftop solar array, rainwater harvesting, EV charging points, energy-saving technologies and a dedicated vehicle maintenance unit.
Mr Andrew said: “I welcome the investment by Marks & Spencer into the new distribution centre in Daventry. It was great to visit the impressive site and meet the people involved, and learn about the future plans for the centre. This area has for a long time been at the heart of the UK’s logistics network, and this investment shows confidence in the local people and businesses.”
James Hemstock, vice president of capital deployment at Prologis UK, added: “This construction milestone reflects the incredible strength of collaboration behind this project.
“Working closely with M&S, Gist, Winvic and West Northamptonshire Council, this project from the outset has been shaped by a shared commitment to quality, sustainability and long-term value.”
