Key Takeaways
- • Merseyside Pension Fund (MPF) will provide a £47.5m development loan, advised by CBRE, to support Panattoni's Wakefield 500 logistics scheme at Wakefield Europort, West Yorkshire.
- • The loan finances around 500,000 sq ft of speculative logistics space, which CBRE says will be the region's only speculative logistics unit of this scale.
- • The financing is made through Panattoni's Newport Logistics Fund III and MPF's Catalyst Fund, and is MPF's second loan to a Panattoni-backed entity with CBRE, following Haydock 66 in 2025.
- • The scheme targets BREEAM Outstanding, EPC A+ and net zero carbon in construction, with practical completion scheduled for May 2027.
Summary
Merseyside Pension Fund has committed a £47.5m development loan to support Panattoni's Wakefield 500 logistics project at Wakefield Europort, according to the publisher's report. CBRE advised on the transaction. The financing is provided for the logistics investment within Panattoni's Newport Logistics Fund III and will support the delivery of around 500,000 sq ft of space on a 23-acre site off Junction 31 of the M62. The scheme is already under construction. CBRE describes Wakefield 500 as the region's only speculative logistics unit of this scale.
Knight Frank, Colliers and CPP were appointed as joint agents in September following Panattoni's acquisition of the site from Delin Property. Wakefield Europort is an established logistics location with occupiers including Haribo, Warburtons, Asda, Royal Mail and Menzies. It offers direct access to the M62, M1 and A1(M) corridors and nearby intermodal rail infrastructure.
Andrew Antoniades, head of lending at CBRE, said the transaction demonstrates continued appetite from institutional capital partners for high-quality developments in established locations. Adil Manzoor, head of private markets at Merseyside Pension Fund, said the fund is committed through its Catalyst Fund to investments that generate long-term value for members while supporting regional growth, and described the project's sustainability credentials as enhancing its appeal.
The scheme targets BREEAM Outstanding, an EPC A+ rating and net zero carbon in construction, with practical completion scheduled for May 2027. This is the second MPF loan to a Panattoni-backed entity arranged with CBRE, following a loan supporting Haydock 66 in Merseyside in 2025. Oliver Choppin, finance director at Panattoni, said MPF's decision demonstrates institutional confidence in the company's delivery record and continued demand for Grade A logistics space in undersupplied northern locations.
Knight Frank, Colliers and CPP were appointed as joint agents in September following Panattoni's acquisition of the site from Delin Property. Wakefield Europort is an established logistics location with occupiers including Haribo, Warburtons, Asda, Royal Mail and Menzies. It offers direct access to the M62, M1 and A1(M) corridors and nearby intermodal rail infrastructure.
Andrew Antoniades, head of lending at CBRE, said the transaction demonstrates continued appetite from institutional capital partners for high-quality developments in established locations. Adil Manzoor, head of private markets at Merseyside Pension Fund, said the fund is committed through its Catalyst Fund to investments that generate long-term value for members while supporting regional growth, and described the project's sustainability credentials as enhancing its appeal.
The scheme targets BREEAM Outstanding, an EPC A+ rating and net zero carbon in construction, with practical completion scheduled for May 2027. This is the second MPF loan to a Panattoni-backed entity arranged with CBRE, following a loan supporting Haydock 66 in Merseyside in 2025. Oliver Choppin, finance director at Panattoni, said MPF's decision demonstrates institutional confidence in the company's delivery record and continued demand for Grade A logistics space in undersupplied northern locations.
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