McLaren Construction has secured a £29.4m ($37.2m) contract from property developer Stoford and pan-European logistics platform Axel Logistics to build an urban logistics hub in Crayford, South East London, UK.
The 319,245ft² development, dubbed MLM Crayford, will feature three sustainable industrial buildings with Grade A office space and a multistorey car park.
The project, situated on a 12-acre brownfield site in Bexley Council’s Thames Road Industrial Area that has been disused for approximately 15 years, is designed to achieve Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology Outstanding (BREEAM) and energy performance certificate A ratings, with a carbon-neutral whole life cycle.
Sustainable elements include photovoltaic roof panels, energy-efficient LED lighting, bicycle storage, electric vehicle charging points, and external well-being areas.
McLaren's experience with projects adjacent to railway infrastructure is crucial due to the proximity of the Slade Green to Dartford railway line on the Northeastern boundary.
McLaren Construction managing director for industrial and logistics David Gavin said: “There are some locations where warehouse construction might be straightforward, but not in an urban area, up against a railway line and with the ambition of achieving BREEAM Outstanding.”
Stoford director Angus Huntley said: “MLM Crayford will regenerate a site that has been disused for more than a decade, delivering a logistics scheme in a supply-constrained location that is market-leading in its sustainability.”
The privately owned construction company has a history of collaborations with Stoford, including developments for Metaswitch, Pets at Home, and the West Midlands Ambulance Service.
Enabling works for the Crayford hub began in December 2024, with the 40-week construction programme expected to conclude in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025.
Key subcontractors include ISC, a civil engineering company for earthworks, steel fabricator FH Dale for the steel frame, aluminium facade supplier Ridgeway for the curtain wall, and others.
Additionally, in January 2025, McLaren Construction was selected for the first phase of a new development at the intersection of New Bond Street and Grafton Street in London's West End by O&H Properties.
