A parcel delivery giant has snapped up new premises amid surging demand for logistics space near the Dartford Crossing close to where online giant Amazon are tipped to move into a "Mega Shed".

Courier DPD has signed up for a 10-year tenure at a new two-storey shed space at Orbital 48 in Littlebrook.

The 47,888 sq ft parcel distribution facility, owned by M&G Real Estate, has direct access to London via the A2, A20, and A13, and also has easy reach to various ports and airports catering to Kent.

Demand for "last-mile" logistics space – the final step of the delivery process from a distribution centre to the customer – is booming during the pandemic amid other e-commerce trends.

The move will also tap into an existing "specialist labour" pool locally, according to Colliers International, which helped broker the deal, who cite research showing more than a third of jobs in the Dartford area are distribution-related.

Associate director in Colliers International’s logistics team, Tim Harding, said: “Dartford is not only a key logistics location for the South East and London areas, but also has access to a pool of specialist labour, with recent research showing over 35% of jobs in the area being distribution-related.

“The demand we are seeing for greater adoption of online commerce is expected to remain strong, and as consumer expectation for speedy deliveries continues to rise, it has never been more important for last mile logistics operators, like DPD, to secure prime locations where they can quickly and efficiently deliver to the end consumer.”

This latest acquisition builds on an expanding portfolio for the parcel firm which already occupies premises on the Fawkes Avenue Questor Industrial Estate, south of Dartford town centre.

They will join other big name couriers operating close to the Crossing including Yodel and DHL.

e-commerce giant Amazon is also in line to takeover a £205m "Mega Box" redevelopment of Littlebrook Power Station, based on the other side of the Dartford Tunnel approach.

The skeletal white frame of the four-storey warehouse has already been constructed and once complete will be the largest in Europe.

It represents the second phase of the brownfield site's transformation into new distribution centres with the first stage having already been given the green light.

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