Another boost for Dunstable as Amazon announces it is to open a giant 'fulfillment centre' creating 500 new jobs.

This announcement by Amazon and the fact that other companies such as Superdrug and WH Smith also have large distribution centres in Dunstable shows that although the High Street has suffered since the recession there are many hundreds of jobs being created out of sight of the High Street increasing demand for rental properties.

The site is just off Boscombe Road at the Distribution Centre built by ProLogis. Such was their faith in Dunstable’s attraction to large companies such as Superdrug and WH Smith who already have their distribution centres here that ProLogis built this without having a client ready to move in.

The giant ‘fulfilment centre’ – as it’s known – will be around the size of four football pitches.

Amazon already has eight fulfilment centres in UK, which are located in Doncaster, Dunfermline, Gourock, Hemel Hempstead, Marston Gate, Peterborough, Rugeley and Swansea Bay.

The opening of Amazon’s ninth fulfilment centre in Dunstable further strengthens the area’s reputation as a vibrant location for business, and the logistics sector in particular.

Amazon’s arrival is an important milestone in the overall regeneration story that is now being delivered in Dunstable and Houghton Regis and they will no doubt benefit from the excellent transport links provided by the Luton Dunstable Busway which will soon be further enhanced by the A5-M1 and Woodside Link roads”.

It has also been announced that a large Next & M & S Simply Food will be opening in the White Lion Retail Park and BBC 3 Counties are soon to move into the site where the Grove Theatre is.

With the Busway link from Dunstable to Luton, Luton train stations and Luton Airport we have seen a number of tenants from Luton relocating to Dunstable. The high rents in London have also seen large numbers of tenants relocating to Dunstable and Luton. This means we have seen a huge increase in demand for rental properties and with more businesses such as Amazon choosing Dunstable as a strategic location we expect the demand to increase.