Plans for ‘greenest business park in Midlands’ a short drive from Hinckley
Site would also be home to lorry park for 150 vehicles
PLANS to build the greenest business park in the region and create more than 1,200 jobs have been revealed.
The proposals, which focus on land to the north east of junction 10 of the M42 in Dordon near Tamworth, also include a dedicated lorry parking facility for up to 150 vehicles.
A spokesman said: “Following unprecedented demand for new employment space exacerbated by the global pandemic, plans are being brought forward to create the greenest business park in the West Midlands.
“The plans will incorporate best in class industrial and logistics buildings with additional connectivity enhancements and amenities to deliver significant benefits to local communities and existing businesses in the area.
“In terms of economic benefit, the proposals will add between £17m19m Gross Value Added to the local economy during the construction and up to £122m GVA per annum in perpetuity adding an estimated 1,263 net permanent additional jobs.”
The proposals will provide over 22 acres or approximately 30 per cent of the site for green and blue infrastructure incorporating landscaping, open space, parkland, habitat creation, native woodland, wildflower meadows and wetland wildflower meadows, and a publicly accessible fitness trail.
More than 10,000 native trees are proposed to be planted within the grounds of the site with targeted planting to the periphery on naturalistic earth mounds which will provide a visual screen to Dordon, Polesworth, and Birchmoor.
In addition to the onsite measures, the proposals will deliver off-site landscape enhancement measures between Tamworth and Dordon and Polesworth and Birchmoor, providing further access for members of the public.
Seating areas, public artwork and heritage/ecological information boards are being proposed along the route of a new footway/cycleway network, both within the site and the surrounding countryside. The information boards will be aimed at highlighting the historical past of the local area, as well as ecological enhancements and introduced native habitats.
If approved, the buildings will include an allocation of smaller ‘incubator’ type units targeted at local small and medium enterprises (SME’s) as well as larger plots to attract national and multinational occupiers in search of new campus/ head quarter facilities to ensure a broad mix of employment opportunities are created. The buildings will be constructed to the highest sustainability criteria helping incoming
“We don’t need or want any more and this development will bring harm rather than benefit.” Cllr Jacky Chambers
occupiers to meet their Net Zero Carbon commitments.
The plans also seek to address anti-social behaviour issues of HGV fly-parking in the area with the creation of a dedicated lorry parking facility for up to 150 vehicles.
This facility would have 24 hour security with welfare facilities such as showers, canteens, and WCs for driver use and will address the problem of HGVs parking inappropriately overnight and when arriving early to the existing business parks of Birch Coppice, St Modwen’s Logistics Park, Relay Park and Centurion Park, which currently have no dedicated parking facility.
A spokesman added: “The new development will be surrounded by heavily planted naturalistic earthmounds. The extensive farmland to the east will be retained with a 1km gap along the A5 between the site and Polesworth and Dordon. The presence of a 156 metre ‘no build’ zone created by the high pressure gas main to the east of the site will act as a hard barrier meaning there can be no future expansion of this one-off scheme.”
Doug Hann, of WSP, said: “This is a one-off opportunity to provide new employment space where it is needed close to road and rail freight corridors and deliver a significant number and range of jobs. It will also provide extensive landscaping, accessibility and community benefits to the local area.
“Significant areas of landscaping and the agricultural land will remain surrounding the site, with a 1km gap along the A5 between the site and Polesworth and Dordon.
“The proposals allow significant enhancement to local footpaths/ cycleways. Over 3.5km of improved footpaths and cycleways will be enhanced or created for both leisure use and so that residents of Birchmoor, Dordon, Polesworth and Tamworth can reach the local employment centres of Birch Coppice, Core 42, St Modwen’s Logistics Park by foot and cycle rather than travelling by car as is currently the case.”
“Technical studies have been undertaken and junction improvement works to J10 M42 are proposed as part of the scheme. Green Travel planning will also be deployed.”
Comments from the public are being welcomed by bosses who say they will prepare the planning application ready for submission to North Warwickshire Borough Council after the consultation period.
Dordon Cllr Jacky Chambers said: “North Warwickshire has already had more than its fair share of logistics sites. We don’t need or want any more and this development will bring harm rather than benefit.
“We don’t want these green fields and hedgerows to disappear under concrete. Hundreds of local people enjoy walking the footpaths across this land and really value the sense of freedom, space and living in a rural village.
“For many years the council has tried to protect this land from industrial development because it is part of the “Strategic Gap” which separates Tamworth from Dordon and Polesworth. Let’s hope they continue to do so – otherwise in 10 years’ time, Dordon will be surrounded on all sides, north south, east and west, by housing estates, residential sprawl and industrial units.
“The last thing we need is a large lorry park emptying onto the A5 and clogging up Junction 10. More lorries stopping and starting along this road will add to the rising problems of air pollution, noise and light pollution. Enough is enough.”
To find out more and have your say go to http://landne-j10m42. co.uk/have-your-say no later than Friday.