Tritax Big Box REIT plc Completes Contracts on Forward Funded Development (3609L)

TIDMBBOX

RNS Number : 3609L

Tritax Big Box REIT plc

24 December 2018

24 December 2018

TRITAX BIG BOX REIT PLC

(the "Company")

FORWARD FUNDED DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW STATE OF THE ART LOGISTICS FACILITY NEAR DURHAM PRE-LET TO A WORLD LEADING RETAILER

The Board of Tritax Big Box REIT plc (ticker: BBOX) announces that the Company has completed contracts for the forward funded development of a new logistics fulfilment centre at Integra 61, near Durham, pre-let to a financially robust world leading retailer. The price represents a maximum commitment of GBP147.3 million, reflecting a net initial yield of 5.25% (net of standard acquisition costs).

The development will comprise a new prime, state-of-the art, purpose-built facility, with a gross internal floor area of c.1,992,061 sq. ft. inclusive of three structural mezzanine floors and a low site cover of c.32%. This high specification facility will be cross-docked with an eaves height of over 20 metres. The property will also benefit from significant capital investment by the occupier, including high levels of automation.

The site has excellent road connectivity with direct access onto Junction 61 of the A1(M) and is also easily accessible by air or rail, being located close to Durham Tees Valley Airport, Newcastle International Airport and Durham railway station. The location is also near to the ports of Tees, Hartlepool, Sunderland and Tyne. The area benefits from an appropriately skilled and flexible labour supply within close proximity, which underpins the appeal of the area as an increasingly important UK distribution location.

Upon practical completion of the construction, targeted for summer 2020, the occupier will take up a new 20-year lease, subject to five yearly upward only rent reviews indexed to the Consumer Prices Index (collared at 1% pa and capped at 3% pa). During the construction phase, the Company will receive an income return equivalent to the annual rent from the developer.

This investment will be delivered in collaboration with the occupier and the Citrus Group, who will also be developing the remainder of the 200 acre Integra 61 project.

DTRE represented the Company, CBRE represented the occupier and Avison Young represented the Citrus Group.

Colin Godfrey, Partner of Tritax, commented:

"We worked very closely with our occupier customer to deliver this state-of-the-art, pre-let development, which provides the Company with further exposure to a market leading occupier. Strategically located in an increasingly important logistics location with a strong labour supply, this asset, once operational, will be the largest single let logistics facility outside the South East, as well as one of the most technologically advanced fulfilment centres in the UK, whilst providing further exposure to a high calibre tenant on a long lease."

For further information, please contact:

 
  Tritax Group                             via Newgate below 
    Colin Godfrey (Partner, Fund Manager) 
 
   Newgate (Communications Adviser)         Tel: [phone] 
    James Benjamin                           Email: [e-mail] 
 
   Jefferies International Limited          Tel: [phone] 
    Gary Gould 
    Stuart Klein 
 
   Akur Limited                             Tel: [phone] 
    Anthony Richardson 
    Tom Frost 
    Siobhan Sergeant 
 

The Company's LEI is: 213800L6X88MIYPVR714

NOTES:

Tritax Big Box REIT plc is the only listed vehicle dedicated to investing in very large logistics warehouse assets ("Big Boxes") in the UK and is committed to delivering attractive and sustainable returns for shareholders. Investing in and actively managing existing built investments, land suitable for Big Box development and pre-let forward funded developments, the Company focuses on well-located, modern "Big Box" logistics assets, typically greater than 500,000 sq ft, let to institutional-grade tenants on long-term leases (typically at least 12 years in length) with upward-only rent reviews and geographic and tenant diversification throughout the UK. The Company seeks to exploit the significant opportunity in this sub-sector of the UK logistics market owing to strong tenant demand and limited supply of Big Boxes.

The Company is a real estate investment trust to which Part 12 of the UK Corporation Tax Act 2010 applies ("REIT"), is listed on the premium segment of the Official List of the UK Financial Conduct Authority and is a constituent of the FTSE 250, FTSE EPRA/NAREIT and MSCI indices.

Further information on Tritax Big Box REIT is available at www.tritaxbigbox.co.uk

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [e-mail] or visit www.rns.com.

END

MSCPGGAAPUPRPGW

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 24, 2018 02:00 ET (07:00 GMT)