1 Article for trade magazine

Sainsbury’s announce new depot for Basingstoke

Sainsbury’s, one of Basingstoke’s largest employers, has announced plans to redevelop its regional distribution depot in the centre of Houndmills. Local residents have been invited to attend a public exhibition outlining its proposals, from which the company hopes to obtain feedback. The existing facility, now regarded as outdated and inefficient, has reached full capacity, and will be rebuilt to provide a modern, purpose-built logistics centre.

The present depot of around 300,000 square feet was built in 1964, and is one of the oldest of Sainsbury’s depots. It stores ambient and chilled produce, and has played a crucial part in the success of Sainsbury's supermarkets, serving stores as far afield as Bournemouth, Swindon, Crawley and Oxford. It employs 750 employees and plays a huge role in the local economy, in the receiving, security and distribution of food products with an average value of £18-£20 million. The site operates around the clock and controls over 20,000 HGV deliveries and dispatches each year.

In 1999 the depot became the first centre of its type to receive registration to the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). This standard enables businesses to manage and improve their environmental performance, and provides independent validation of a company’s environmental management system.

The proposed redevelopment will increase the efficiency of Sainsbury’s distribution and retailing operations in the south-east and secure the long-term future of Sainsbury’s distribution operations in Basingstoke. It will help safeguard existing jobs in Basingstoke and allow future growth potential.

The site is in a defined Employment Area in the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2006, which permits employment redevelopment proposals. Sainsbury’s will submit a planning application shortly. It requires more land to develop, and has identified ten acres on the adjacent Linde Material Handling site, largely vacated in 2010. The new enlarged site will comprise 15 hectares (37 acres). Linde will continue to operate from its present site, reduced to ten acres.

The net overall floor space of the site will be less than the total floor space of the present buildings it will replace, but the site layout will be improved. The present vehicle maintenance units will be retained, but fuel and vehicle washing facilities will be replaced. HGVs will access the site through a new main entrance in Knights Park Road, reducing the pressure at the present entrance in Houndmills Road, though it is expected that additional HGV traffic movements will be kept to a minimum. The present entrance will be used by employees and visitors. There will be 400 new car parking spaces and new HGV parking. As part of its planning application, Sainsbury’s will submit a Travel Plan to encourage employees to use more sustainable travel options, including targets to reduce single-occupancy car travel. By using dual-fuel vehicles (diesel and landfill gases), Sainsbury’s has reduced its CO2 emissions by 40 tonnes per year.

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The new depot will be built in contemporary materials to minimise its visual impact, with a canopy over some of the unloading bays. The existing depot will continue operations during the construction period, which will start with demolition of the Linde building (built around twenty years ago) and continue in stages from east to west. Providing that planning approval is granted, construction of the new site will start in November 2011 and be completed in August 2013.

The new building has a Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method (BREEAM) pre-assessment rating of excellent, and an A-rated energy performance certificate. Like the building it replaces, it will continue to incorporate environmental initiatives. Grey water recycling, percussion taps, and waterless urinals will reduce water consumption. External glazing, natural roof lighting, efficient artificial lighting and intelligent controls will reduce energy consumption.

A building management system will monitor all energy use, for example, the recycling of cold air from chillers. Landscaping will include new shrubs and trees and improve the ecology of the site. All this will ensure the new building will be environmentally sustainable, with a reduced carbon footprint.

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2 Article for travel magazine

Mallorca: sun, sea, sand and . . .?Cycling!

And the best time has to be April! Why? Well, for a start, we avoid the summer crowds. Burning on the beach? Frequenting the ‘English’ fish-and-chip bars of Magaluf? Not for us.

So what do we find instead? March and April are the most popular time of year for cyclists, who arrive from all over Europe. You’ll see far more bikes than cars. It’s not yet summer, and the afternoon temperature averages 18-20 degrees centigrade. You’ll need sun cream in the hot sun, for the cooling coastal breeze is deceptive.

The geography of Mallorca is varied: mountains along the north and west coasts, plains to the south and east. It is ideal for cycle tourists of all ages and abilities: short or long rides, with a mix of flat or hilly. Don’t be put off by the traffic in Palma: there are many cycle tracks, including a long one (though narrow in places) extending along the coast from Palma to Can Pastilla and beyond, passing close to the city centre and beside the port.

We are staying at the modern 3-star Hotel Helios at Can Pastilla, on the coast just east of Palma and handy for the airport. This provides excellent access to the minor road network, almost car-free. We appreciate the two bike lock-up rooms complete with built-in padlocks and cables (keys can be hired). It is a minute’s walk to the clean, sandy beach, the Playa de Palma, and a long tree-lined promenade.  

Our leader has arranged bike hire from Belori-bike, just twenty minutes walk from our hotel. There are closer shops, but we have used Belori previously and are more than satisfied with the friendly service. They offer lightweight sports bikes and hybrids for those who prefer a little more comfort. Rear racks are available for our day bags.

Day one: Sunday, nothing too challenging. We head towards the hilltop monastery at Cura. With no busy traffic to negotiate, it’s along the promenade to Arenal, all semi-pedestrianised, and lined with German-speaking shops and bars. Taking a quiet service road alongside a busy highway in the direction of Llucmajor, we encounter large groups of Germans, Dutch and Scandinavians who regularly overtake us. They are well organised and focused, with an air of grim, robotic determination. But are they enjoying themselves as much as we are?

We turn into a minor road marked with helpful wooden signs. We make good progress: smooth roads, no wind. The whole plain is green and fertile, due to the moderate rainfall and the underground aquifers. Dotted across the island are a number of windmills, once used to pump the water to the surface, but now giving way to modern irrigation methods. Passing open scrub and olive groves, we skirt Llucmajor. Then it’s down to lunch at Cala Pi, a small village on the southern coast. This is deserted, and from a nearby clifftop we see an island appearing to float over the horizon. Minorca? Wrong direction. Ibiza? Too far. It is Cabrera, fifteen miles away.

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We retrace our route, and split into two at Llucmajor. Some of us will stop in the village of Randa and linger over afternoon coffee rather than attempt the long hill climb up to the monastery at Cura (this is only day one). The climb is six kilometres long but well worth the effort, for the impressive views across the plain. The northern mountains are clearly visible, as well as Palma. We are at 542 metres above sea level, and can make out the aircraft approaching the runway. We take a well-deserved rest at the café before an easy run back to our hotel, with fifty-seven miles covered.

Day two: Monday, we head into the real hills, starting with the cycle track into Palma. A glorious view of the coast stretches beyond the city, dissolving into the morning haze. Keeping to the right-hand lane, we take care passing other cyclists and skateboarders. After a short section through Palma, we tackle the first climb, the Coll de Sa Creu. A minor road, it twists steadily upwards through oak and pine forest. At the top, we are joined by other cyclists who also stop for breath, before the long freewheel down the valley into Calvia.

It’s market day in this village, so as well as stopping for coffee we can buy bread and fresh fruit for lunch later. The busy market square is shaded by plane trees, and the local produce is set out on stalls beneath red and white sunshades: peaches, asparagus, melons, aubergines. There are almond biscuits, game terrines, local cheeses and sausage. Riding along and up another valley north-eastwards, we reach Galilea, our lunch stop. Beyond the dwellings of this deserted hilltop village, perched on terraces below, we glimpse the coast far beyond. And then more forest, rocky outcrops, through Puigpunyent. At nearby La Granja is a country-house museum, with impressive terraced gardens clinging halfway up the hillside. There are plenty of stops, so everyone can enjoy the ride back via Esporles into Palma. We are not trying to set any records: this is leisurely cycle touring at its best.

Wednesday: we take the road north to Bunyola, and east over the Coll de Hono. A sweeping descent with tricky hairpins brings us to Orient, where stands the little church of Sant Jordi. Its façade has a tile picture of the good saint, mounted on a white charger. He is slaying a green dragon, and is none other than our own Saint George! The return route is via the Orient valley and Alaro, the site of a famous castle accessible only by a steep, rough track. We have done enough climbing for today, and save the castle for another time. Our return is via Santa Eugenia. Approaching Can Pastilla, we encounter large crowds. The road is closed for a time trial. Wearing streamlined pixie helmets, the riders are hunched in strange contortions over the bars. They pass at minute intervals, escorted by a police motorcycle. The road surface is formed of mini-cobbles and one can only imagine the effects of the vibration at thirty miles an hour on rider and machine.

Our final day is a fitting end to the week. We retrace the route to Calvia, joining the coastal road (C710) at Andraitx, close to the south-west corner of the island, and continue over the Coll de Sa Gremola. We glimpse the sea through the densely wooded slopes on our left. Lunch is on the terrace of the café at Es Grau, balanced precariously over the beach hundreds of feet below, with a breathtaking view of the coastline. Further on, we reach Banyalbufar with its terraced fields rising steeply from the coast. After the Coll de Sa Bastida, we decide that four big climbs are enough for the day. A planned visit to Valldemossa, the monastery where Chopin stayed one winter, is put on hold.

If you’ve had enough of cycling, try a day in Palma, particularly the old town. The Gothic style cathedral and thirteenth-century Bellver castle are well worth exploring - but that’s for another day.

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Accommodation: Hotel Helios: Tel: +34 971264250 www.helios-hotels.com £162 for seven nights per person based on shared room, breakfast and evening meal.

Cycle hire: Belori-Bike: www.belori-bike.com £69-£77 per week, depending on type.

Flights: All the major airlines fly to Palma from most UK airports, including British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair. Off-peak and mid-week flights may be cheaper.

Further suggestions: Lluc monastery. +34 971 871525 www.lluc.net On the northern side of Mallorca, this offers tourist accommodation in former monks’ cells (book in advance) and has recently been modernised. You can take your bike on the train from Palma to Inca (in the middle of the island) and ride from there over the Coll de Sa Batallo (PM213) to the monastery. Next day, follow the high C710 road west (taking care through the tunnels) to the coastal town of Soller for lunch, then over the Coll de Soller (hairpins galore!) back into Palma. You can also cycle to Soller directly from Palma. If the climbing doesn’t appeal, there is a great train ride (bikes not allowed). Go back in time: the electric locomotive and carriages date from 1929 and take you through orange groves and a long mountain tunnel – with stops for the breathtaking views.

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