Residents unhappy about expansion on green belt land BUSINESS PARK GROWTH SET

TO BRING 700 MORE JOBS

A HUGE Derbyshire business park extension, due to create nearly 700 jobs, is being earmarked for approval.

The application, from Garner Holdings, would see three new buildings, covering nearly 60,000 square metres, built at the Denby Hall Business Park, opposite the potteries and on green belt land. If approved, the multimillion-pound expansion would nearly double the size of the business park.

Amber Valley Borough Council planning officers have recommended that the plans are approved at a virtual meeting next Monday.

Garner Holdings says the expansion would safeguard 100 jobs at HL Plastics, LB Plastics and Garnalex, all in need of new and larger premises. The new buildings, it says, would create a further 680 jobs by 2025.

The expansion area, which the existing business park sits on, is a restored open cast mine.

Roger Hartshorn, director of Garner Holdings, said: “We have been working on this planning application and new business for three years. The extension is a logical step to continue along that path and create the space so that existing businesses can grow and expand.

“The business plans state that 680 full time jobs will be created and 100 existing positions will be secured for the area over the next five years. This is really positive news for employment prospects in difficult, uncertain times.”

The Coal Authority says the risk associated with the 35 mine entries on the proposed extension need to be thoroughly investigated. And the Environment Agency has called for investigations into contamination risks before construction starts.

A report from RSK, submitted by the applicant, found the potential for harmful ground gas contamination was “moderate to very high”.

The Denby Footpaths Group has objected to the plans due to the scheme being in green belt. The borough council’s urban design officer wrote that the development would “dominate the landscape”.

Horsley and Denby parish councils have objected to the scheme due to the increase of HGV traffic, loss of green belt and potential flooding issues.

Cllr Kevin Buttery, the borough council’s Conservative opposition leader, who represents the area, said: “The application is for industrial development on green belt Land. The purpose of the green belt is to prevent unrestricted urban sprawl and towns and villages merging into one.

“The proposed site will effectively merge Marehay with Denby. Residents are concerned about the increased frequency and type of heavy goods vehicles that will visit the site. “The basis of the extension is to increase manufacturing products within the new site, therefore materials will need to be delivered and finished products transported away from the site.

“This will, without doubt, significantly increase traffic on the B6179 through Ripley, Denby, Kilburn and Rawson Green.” He pointed to plans to build homes and business space on the historic Denby tar pits site as a priority for the borough which could conflict with the business park proposals.

Some 63 objection letters were submitted by residents. One wrote: “This will lead to the merging of Openwoodgate, part of Kilburn, Denby Bottles, Smithy Houses, Station Road, Street Lane, The College Houses and Upper Marehay.”

Another resident said: “There is gridlock at Kilburn Toll Bar crossroads at school time, the rush hour causes gridlock along some of the B6179 between Little Eaton and Ripley with the number of HGVs having already increased.”

Planning officers, recommending approval, wrote: “The approval will not only secure existing jobs in the short term but also create job growth in the short and longer term in times of economic uncertainty.”

The purpose of the green belt is to prevent urban sprawl and towns and villages merging

Cllr Kevin Buttery