Online giant Amazon has confirmed that it will be moving into a 100,000 sqft facility close to Cranbrook.

Online giant Amazon has confirmed that it will be moving into a 100,000 sqft facility close to Cranbrook.

Rumours have been rife that the retailer had earmarked a unit at a site, next to the Lidl distribution centre in Clyst Honiton.

Now, Amazon has finally revealed it will relocate its delivery station in Heron Road, Exeter, to the purpose-built facility at Exeter Gateway.

A company spokesman said: "Amazon Logistics is helping independent local delivery companies to grow their businesses and adds capacity and flexibility to Amazon's delivery network to provide the fast and reliable delivery Amazon customers love and trust.

"Currently, six delivery companies provide services to Amazon in Exeter but this will increase over time to more than a dozen. As well as meeting increasing customers' demand, the new delivery station will also deliver to customers in parts of Dorset and Somerset currently served by the Amazon's delivery station in Bristol."

The move will see the number of drivers, who collect parcels from the new delivery station and deliver them to customers in Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset, increase to more than 200."

The move has created job opportunities for residents of Cranbrook and the surrounding area.

Amazon said the relocation will see the number of employees in Exeter rise to more than 30.

It has been reported the Exeter Gateway Scheme could create between 1,530 and 1,817 new jobs and contribute an extra £90m to £105m to the regional economy.

At the end of the October last year, East Devon council planners granted reserved matters approval for the first plot of land to be used for a storage and distribution building measuring 8,465sqm.

The scheme included associated parking, servicing, yard areas, landscaping and engineering works

The huge chunk of land at Hayes Farm in Clyst Honiton is earmarked for more storage and distribution warehouses, offices and business space as part of the Exeter and East Devon Growth Point.

Indicative diagrams shown to East Devon District Council's development management committee last year revealed that there will eventually be 11 units on the site, but only reserved matters for the first unit, the occupier of which has not been confirmed, have been approved.