Demand for industrial and logistics space continues to grow apace as occupiers line up to take large, long-term leases across the country despite, or sometimes because of, the coronavirus pandemic.

Ecommerce fulfilment company James & James is again under offer to occupy a 197,000 sq ft Northampton warehouse, after an earlier deal fell through at the end of last year.

James & James was under offer at Liberty 196 on the Brackmills Industrial Estate at the start of December, as revealed by Property Week, and was understood to have agreed a rent of £6.75/sq ft.

However, it walked away from that transaction just before Christmas.

If the deal is successful this time round, the business will move from its existing Liliput Road site, also on the Brackmills Industrial Estate.

The estate’s other occupiers include DHL, Wickes and Asda.

The speculatively built Liberty 196 warehouse is owned by Equation Properties and Prologis. The latter acquired original owner Liberty Property Trust in February.

Burbage Realty and DTRE are acting for Equation and Prologis. All parties declined to comment.

Meanwhile, third-party logistics operator Bleckmann has taken a 10-year lease on a 186,000 sq ft warehouse at Gazeley’s 550-acre Magna Park Lutterworth.

The news comes as fashion and lifestyle retailers continue to look for industrial space to store a glut of stock from overseas ordered before the coronavirus lockdown.

Earlier this month, Property Week revealed that sofa retailer DFS had taken 150,000 sq ft of space at Logistics North in Bolton, while budget fashion retailer Primark appointed Savills to find 400,000 sq ft of space, in both cases to store excess stock.

Primark has rented up to 40% more warehouse space in reaction to the coronavirus.