Prologis UK, a leading logistics property owner, developer and investor, alongside its principal contractor, VolkerFitzpatrick has been working on an expansion of Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead since March 2024.
Delivering long-term employability
The development is already delivering for the town, providing job opportunities for local people as well as training to boost long-term employability.
Since the start of construction, working with training provider Goodwill Solutions, two Hemel residents have been hired and received Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards – an industry-wide seal of approval and transferrable to future roles.
One local resident, Maura, who completed training to work on the site, said: “My time at the site has proven immensely valuable to me personally. At Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead, every day is dynamic and fast-paced, allowing me to develop a host of new skills on the job and helping to boost my confidence. It’s been both a challenging and rewarding opportunity so far and I’m excited to continue growing in my role.”
On completion, the expansion of Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead is anticipated to create many more additional jobs, as businesses setup their new operations.
Inspiring the next generation
Prologis actively engages in initiatives to inspire the future workforce to increase their understanding of the logistics and real estate sectors. Working closely with VolkerFitzpatrick, numerous educational visits have been conducted at the site for a number of schools, colleges and universities.
Students from Nottingham Trent University’s Built Environment School were given insight into the inner workings of a construction site through detailed tours, sessions with the commercial team and team building exercises.
Site visits and career talks have similarly been held with Hertford Regional College, where its T-level students gained insight into key elements of the development including in design, surveying and planning.
Students and graduates have also been involved with work experience placements at Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead, during which they were able to work closely across departments with site engineers, trainee site managers and designers, gaining first-hand insight into these career routes.
Giving back to the Hemel Hempstead community
Prologis has pledged to deliver £7 million of social value for Hemel - supporting initiatives that directly benefit and strengthen the local community.
One example is the contributions being made to Hemel Hempstead’s local food bank, DENS, for its Christmas wish list, providing vital support for the area’s vulnerable individuals.
Matt Goodier, Senior Project Manager, at Volker Fitzpatrick said: “Bringing a net positive to Hemel Hempstead has been a key aim of this project. With the help of Prologis and Goodwill Solutions, the tangible benefit of providing job opportunities and career insights has been significant. Our recent contributions to the local food bank, DENS, has also demonstrated the type of support that we set out to bring to the community.”
Martin Cooper, Vice President of the Development Management team at Prologis UK, said: “At the start of this project we set out to deliver real benefit to the local community and it’s exciting to see our social value coming to life. Our approach to supporting the local job market has been deliberate and purposeful, aiming to boost prospects for those wanting to enter construction, engineering or logistics. The social value goals initially set for this development will allow us to continue improving our contributions to communities, in both Hemel Hempstead and across our portfolio.”
Introducing Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead
Prologis announced the expansion to Prologis Park Hemel Hempstead in early 2024. Since then, work onsite has made significant progress, with the development on course to be completed in Q1 2025.
The site, at Green Lane, will house five new logistics facilities ranging between 19,000 – 75,000 sq ft and push the boundaries with market-leading design features focused on sustainability, customer and community needs.
