Controversial 1,000-job warehouse scheme near breaks new ground

WORK on a major employment development that will bring 1,000 jobs into the region has begun.

The 48-acre scheme has however faced opposition after concerns it would “swallow up” the countryside.

Known as G-Park, the scheme will take residence on the former Coal Lounge, Coal Preparation and Disposal Point on the edge of Ashby.

Planning permission for the site’s transformation was given by North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) last year, with the first on-site works taking place this week.

Billed as being in the “golden triangle” for logistics due to its location, G-Park is a plan developers

GLP say will become a major asset to the Midlands.

Situated on land next to the A511 and M42, G-Park will comprise at least one main warehouse that could be expanded to two depending on customer requirements. The site will also feature a series of offices, as well as 555 car parking spaces.

In all, G-Park is set to result in a

How G-Park will look voiced, with Ashby Civic Society saying G-Park would “swallow up” the countryside. Others voiced concerns about increased traffic and the environmental impact on the region.

GLP says it has put ecology at the heart of the project, with a colony of great-crested newts that lived on the site having been relocated. The developers say that G-Park will also feature an outdoor space for nature, including ponds.

Adrienne Howells, senior development director at GLP, said: “G-Park Ashby is an exciting addition to our portfolio in the Midlands and indicates our ongoing confidence in opportunities in the Golden Triangle. Trends such as e-commerce have buoyed already high demand for prime logistics space, particularly high-quality, conveniently-located, sustainable facilities such as this.

“Not only will this new development bring excellent opportunities for our customers; it will also boost employment in the region, creating almost 1,000 new jobs and providing major benefits for the local economy. ”

Earthworks on G-Park are set to be completed by early 2023. The full site is set to be completed by March 2024.

major employment boom, with GLP saying it expects between 880 and 990 fulltime jobs to be created as a result. It is thought it could also create an additional 510 positions indirectly. The scheme has not been without controversy. Prior to being given the go-ahead, opposition had been