Work is starting this month on a giant distribution warehouse for The Range on a new industrial estate off the A14 in Suffolk.

Gateway 14 at Stowmarket will be home to the flagship 1.2m sq ft shed for the garden and leisure products retailer, which is being built by Winvic Construction.

The Northampton-based builder was chosen by park developer Jaynic for the prestigious project off Junction 50 of the dual carriageway. The scheme - due to be completed in November 2023 - is expected to create 1,650 jobs in the region.

Gateway 14 Ltd - which is owned by Mid Suffolk District Council - has exchanged contracts with The Range to develop the distribution unit on a freehold turnkey basis.  

Jaynic construction boss Jason Newman said they were "pleased" to have Winvic on board as contractor for the project.

"The company has a strong reputation for building warehouses of this magnitude and we look forward to working with them," he said.

Danny Nelson, director of industrial, distribution and logistics at Winvic, said: "It’s fantastic to be working with new client Jaynic on this impressive facility.

"We’re delighted we were selected due our knowledge and expertise of delivering similar schemes with sustainability at their heart.

"Jaynic has put its faith in our team and in return we will be aiming to exceed expectations every step of the way."

Gateway 14 chairman Sir Christopher Haworth said: "This is very good news for the region with the economic benefits it will bring as well as the employment it will generate in the area in the coming years."

The landmark sustainable building will include EV charging, LED lighting, solar PV, smart energy systems and rainwater harvesting.

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