BABCOCK BREAKS GROUND ON NEW LOGISTICS HUB AT SHERFORD
Defence company Babcock International has marked the start of work on its new Integrated Logistics Hub at Sherford, a significant step for the town’s Business Park.
Representatives from Babcock and South Hams District Council gathered at the 18.8-acre site beside the A38 on Friday 23 October to mark the start of construction, where a time capsule was buried to mark the occasion. Peter Sadler, Divisional Managing Director of Vistry, attended on behalf of the Sherford Consortium and Plymouth & South Devon Freeport.
Employment has always been central to the vision for Sherford as a place where people can live, work and spend their time. Welcoming a business of Babcock’s standing to the Business Park is a real vote of confidence in the town as it approaches 10 years since its first residents moved in.
The new hub will bring more than 30 of Babcock’s logistics locations together on one site at Sherford. It will support activity away from the dockside at Devonport, where Babcock supports the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet, increasing operational capacity.
The site is part of the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport, the UK’s only Defence Freeport. South Hams District Council bought the land from the Sherford Consortium in June 2025, supported by £3.4 million in Government grant funding, and has since agreed to sell it to Babcock.
Cllr John Birch, South Hams District Council’s Executive Member for Economic Development, Commercial Strategy and Governance, said: “This is a significant and positive step for Sherford and the wider local economy. It will support new investment, create opportunities and help bring more high-quality jobs to the area.”
Neal Misell, Chief Executive of Babcock Nuclear, said: “Today demonstrates our long-term commitment to Plymouth and the wider region, developing the skills, capability and infrastructure needed to bolster the UK’s national defence resilience, while creating opportunities for economic growth and prosperity for future generations.”
The Sherford hub is one of several Babcock investments in the area, alongside a new Skills Centre at Devonport Dockyard, opened the same day, and a Capability Centre in Plymouth city centre that will accommodate up to 2,000 colleagues.
