‘Damage to the countryside is outweighed by the benefits to the economy’
PLANNING APPEAL INSPECTOR RULES THAT HUB CAN GO AHEAD
plans for a large logistics hub which promises to create 1,200 jobs have been granted on appeal – even though it will damage the countryside.
The 35-hectare site, at Wood Farm, off Stanton Lane in Stanton Under Bardon, will include two industrial buildings, providing 89,200 sq m of space to serve the logsitics and e-commerce sectors.
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council rejected two proposals to develop the greenfield site, to the south of Cliffe Hill quarry, citing on both occasions concerns that it would spoil an area of open countryside.
The original plans for three large units were scaled down to two units in the second application, with additional landscaping to the south east of the site.
Developer Wood Farm Holdings then took both the rejected schemes to appeal, with the Planning Inspectorate dismissing the initial proposal but approving the second smaller development.
Inspector Jennifer Vyse conceded that both schemes would result in “significant harm” to the character of the countryside, but that this was outweighed by the benefits she believed the project would deliver.
She said: “I consider that the package of benefits is of such substance, in particular the economic and employment benefits, that it outweighs the harm that I have identified in this case.”
However, Borough Councillor Andy Furlong (Labour), who represents Markfield, Stanton and Field Head along with fellow Councillor Matthew Lay, is sceptical that people affected by the development will ever reap any benefits.
“While the damage to the countryCONTROVERSIAL side is clear, it remains to be seen if the employment and economic benefits ever materialise for those of us who actually live in the area,” he said.
“A few people just got very rich at the stroke of a pen.”
The permission was granted with 56 conditions applied to the planning consent.
Coun Furlong added: “Councillor Lay and I will continue to work with the parish council and residents to do everything possible to ensure these are monitored and enforced should any breaches be apparent.”
Among the conditions, the developer is required to submit a plan for how it will manage construction traffic, as well as details about the hours during which work will occur.