God of on-line retail, Amazon, is to open a new mammoth distribution centre on a business park on the edge of Gloucester.

It will employ more than 100 staff and distribute sales from its website UK-wide and beyond.

Fans of the Book Depository will know the American-owned internet behemoth took over the once independent Gloucester-born company back in 2011.

Post deal Amazon chose to keep the one-time rival to the market place it now dominates at its Goodridge Avenue site near the city centre - until now.

"We are planning to move the Book Depository to a new site," said a spokesman for Amazon, who confirmed no jobs would be lost as a result.

The move is seen as an investment and commitment in the city by Amazon and a vote of confidence in the Gateway 12 business park at Hardwicke.

City-headquartered chartered surveyors Ash and Alder King have been handling the site. Alder King is believed to have handled the deal with Amazon.

Other parts of the site are already  filled on the 16 acres adjacent to the highly successful Waterwells Business Park.

Another city-born business, Procook, moved its head office to Gateway 12 last year.

At least four further warehouse/office units are currently under construction and available - ranging in size from 24,000 square feet to 63,500 square ft, according to Simon McKeag of Ash.

It is believed Amazon will move into building 5.

A spokesman for Amazon said it could not comment on how much its investment in Gateway 12 was worth but only that the move would go ahead later this year.

"Amazon has also announced plans for three new fulfilment centres in Bristol, Bolton and Rugby," said the spokesman, explaining these were the firm's delivery centres.

It also had plans for a "parcel receive centre" at Coventry - where people selling on Amazon would send their goods to be dispatched.

The Book Depository describes itself as "the world's most international online bookstore offering over 18 million books with free delivery worldwide".

When the deal with Amazon was first mooted some called for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to investigate.

In 2011 when the takeover was announced the firm, founded in May 2004 by Andrew Crawford and whose managing director at the time of the takeover was Kieron Smith, was about to reveal annual revenues of £120 million.

Some £30 million of that turnover came from the UK. In the previous year to June 2010 sales were reported as £69 million with an operating profit of £2.3 million.

Mr Crawford ran the business in its early days from offices at the Severnside Trading Estate, off Hempsted Road, before moving to its current location.