Key Points
- Chancerygate has commenced construction on a new 53,000 sq ft Grade A sustainable urban logistics development in Old Trafford, Manchester, named UrbanX.
- The project on Brindley Road spans two acres and features two units of 30,200 sq ft and 22,800 sq ft, targeting EPC A+ and BREEAM Excellent ratings.
- Located less than a mile from Manchester city centre, it adjoins the Bridgewater Way arterial route, with a gross development value of approximately £15 million, speculatively developed for last‑mile logistics.
- The site was acquired earlier in 2025 from the Landmark Group and first proposed in September 2025, with planning applications and pre‑letting secured.
- The build is expected to support local employment and regional industrial growth, aligning with Manchester’s broader logistics and infrastructure strategy.
Trafford (Manchester Mirror)May 14, 2026-As reported by Shrutika Kadam of Maxim Infra on 14 May 2026, Chancerygate, a leading UK property developer, has started work on its Grade A urban logistics project in Old Trafford, Manchester, marking a significant addition to the city’s industrial infrastructure. The development, branded UrbanX, will provide around 53,000 sq ft of sustainable logistics space across a two‑acre site on Brindley Road, positioned less than a mile from Manchester city centre. According to The Business Desk’s Northwest coverage, the project comprises a 53,000 sq ft Grade A sustainable urban logistics scheme, underscoring its focus on high‑specification, low‑impact facilities.
- Key Points
- How big is the Old Trafford urban logistics project, and where is it based?
- What sustainability and design standards are being applied?
- What has already happened in the project timeline?
- Who is behind the development, and what is their role?
- Background of the Old Trafford UrbanX development
- How might this development affect local businesses and logistics operators?
The scheme is structured as two units: one of 30,200 sq ft and another of 22,800 sq ft, both designed to meet EPC A+ and BREEAM Excellent standards for energy efficiency and environmental performance. In the same report, Logistics Matters notes the two‑unit 53,000 ft² UrbanX last‑mile warehouse configuration, emphasising its role in short‑haul urban distribution. The project’s gross development value is estimated at roughly £15 million, reflecting its status as a speculative build aimed at modern logistics tenants.
How big is the Old Trafford urban logistics project, and where is it based?
Chancerygate’s Old Trafford development sits on a two‑acre brownfield site on Brindley Road in Trafford, as detailed by the Logistics Manager, who reported the acquisition of the land for the 53,000 ft² Grade A urban logistics space. The site is adjacent to the Bridgewater Way arterial route, providing direct access to Trafford Park and the Salford Quays areas, both established industrial and logistics hubs. Writing for Place North West in March 2026, a journalist covering MIPIM’s focus on Old Trafford described the broader area vision, highlighting how new infrastructure projects like UrbanX feed into a wider regeneration narrative around connectivity and mixed‑use growth.
The project’s proximity to Manchester city centre—less than a mile away—positions it as a prime last‑mile logistics asset, a point underscored by Maxim Infra’s report on the 53,000 sq ft urban logistics project. As noted in Chancerygate’s own project brief, the Trafford Park site acquisition in 2025 was specifically targeted at speculatively developing a £15m, 53,000 sq ft urban logistics scheme, which aligns with the company’s regional strategy.
What sustainability and design standards are being applied?
The UrbanX Old Trafford scheme targets stringent sustainability benchmarks, with both warehouses designed for EPC A+ and BREEAM Excellent ratings. As reported by Logistics Matters, the two‑unit 53,000 ft² UrbanX scheme incorporates features aimed at minimising carbon emissions and energy consumption, consistent with Chancerygate’s broader “UrbanX” product line focused on greener logistics. The company’s own planning‑phase announcement in September 2025 highlighted the intention to deliver 53,000 sq ft of Grade A sustainable urban logistics space, incorporating modern materials and efficient building services.
The project also reflects a wider industry shift toward low‑carbon last‑mile distribution, with journalists noting that such Grade A developments are increasingly sought after by e‑commerce and logistics operators. By siting the development on an existing brownfield plot, Chancerygate avoids greenfield encroachment, a point implicitly supported by local planning scrutiny described in earlier coverage of the Brindley Road site.
What has already happened in the project timeline?
Chancerygate’s journey to breaking ground on the Old Trafford site began with the acquisition of the two‑acre plot from the Landmark Group in 2025, as reported by Logistics Matters. The developer then submitted detailed plans for the 53,000 ft² UrbanX last‑mile warehouse scheme in September 2025, outlining the two‑unit configuration and sustainability targets. The Business Desk notes that work on the Grade A sustainable urban logistics development has now commenced, signalling the transition from planning to physical construction.
Pre‑letting activity preceded the start of work, with Chancerygate’s release indicating that the scheme was being built speculatively for the logistics market, a strategy repeated on other UrbanX projects in the North West. The £15m gross development value figure, first cited in Logistics Manager’s acquisition story, has been carried forward into subsequent coverage as a marker of the project’s economic scale.
Who is behind the development, and what is their role?
Chancerygate, the developer behind the Old Trafford scheme, is one of the UK’s specialist industrial and logistics property developers, with a portfolio focused on last‑mile and urban logistics assets. As reported by The Business Desk, Chancerygate has initiated construction on the 53,000 sq ft Grade A sustainable urban logistics project, extending its presence in Manchester’s wider industrial heartland. The company’s own project descriptions emphasise its role in delivering speculative, high‑quality logistics space that meets modern operators’ needs for speed, sustainability, and connectivity.
The land seller, the Landmark Group, is a UK‑based property investment and development company that owned the Brindley Road site prior to the 2025 sale. Journalists covering the plot’s acquisition did not attribute specific public statements from Landmark to the current construction phase, relying instead on developer and planning‑file sources.
Background of the Old Trafford UrbanX development
The Old Trafford UrbanX project sits within a broader pattern of infill logistics and industrial redevelopment around Manchester. Trafford Park, immediately adjacent to the UrbanX site, has long served as the UK’s oldest planned industrial estate and continues to attract modern logistics and distribution schemes. The Landmark Group’s earlier ownership of the Brindley Road plot reflects a wave of portfolio rationalisation among regional investors, creating opportunities for specialist developers like Chancerygate to re‑enter the site market.
Chancerygate’s previous work on the 130,340 sq ft Trafford Park last‑mile urban logistics development, supported by the North West Evergreen Fund and Trafford Council, set a precedent for public‑private backing of similar logistics schemes in the area. The UrbanX branding first appeared in those earlier projects, signalling a standardised product line for Grade A, sustainability‑driven warehouses positioned for short‑distance delivery. The Old Trafford scheme, therefore, represents a continuation of that strategy rather than a wholly new departure.
How might this development affect local businesses and logistics operators?
The start of construction on the Old Trafford UrbanX scheme is likely to increase the supply of modern, low‑carbon logistics space in a densely connected part of Greater Manchester, which could benefit regional retailers, e‑commerce players, and third‑party logistics providers. Operators seeking short‑haul distribution bases close to city‑centre populations may find the Brindley Road site attractive due to its adjacency to Bridgewater Way and its proximity to Manchester city centre, reducing inbound freight times.
For local authorities and economic‑development bodies, the project adds to the stock of higher‑specification industrial buildings that support cleaner urban deliveries, aligning with broader net‑zero and congestion‑reduction objectives. Smaller logistics firms without the capital to build bespoke facilities may also benefit from having a new Grade A speculative warehouse brought to market, potentially easing rent pressure on older, less efficient units in the wider Trafford‑Salford corridor.
