Business park that could provide 6,500 jobs is approved by council
A BUSINESS park has been approved but developers must be “good neighbours” following complaints over the handling of consultations, a planning chairman has said.
East Riding Council voted 10 to two to approve Associated British Ports’ (ABP) plans for 430,000 sq ft Humber International Enterprise Park, south of Hedon bypass.
David Morris, of ABP, told the committee the development would provide a “significant economic boost” for the area and could create 6,500 jobs. He added ABP revisited plans over concerns from residents, council officers and highways, drainage and other agencies’ concerns and there was now 51,000sqm less floor space proposed and a 22 per cent density.
But Andrew Nicholson, a resident from Paull Against Development on Enterprise Land (PADEL), said there had been a “lack of consultation” with locals despite hundreds of objections.
South West Holderness ward member Coun John Dennis said residents claimed two onehour presentations to locals on the plans were “rushed”, adding they “could have waited” until after lockdown. Committee chair Coun David Tucker said the key to the application’s success would be ABP being a “good neighbour”.
But Coun Tucker added: “So far they haven’t, ABP needs to go away and think about how they talk to locals.
“If they become a good neighbour and work with local people it will make this process a lot easier, it should happen as soon as possible.”
ABP has agreed to set up a community liaison group so talks with residents on the plans could continue and committee members said it should be made a condition for development.
The site, between Hedon and Paull and in the recently approved Humber Freeport area, was given outline permission, with details on its buildings, layout and other features, reserve matters, to return.
The application also includes a new spine road running between Hedon Road and Paull Road.
ABP agreed to include this to address concerns the development could see local roads congested.
Coun Sue Steel, also of South West Holderness ward which covers the site, said she “reluctantly” supported the application so the council could control development.
She added planning inspectors would likely overturn a refusal from the committee because the site was already allocated for port-related employment use.
Coun Steel said: “I absolutely sympathise with residents, this will change the landscape forever, we’re in an untenable position.
“There are currently 81 conditions that the development must abide by, if this is approved, it needs to come back for reserve matters and we should follow it every step of the way.”
Committee member Coun Nigel Wilkinson said he could not support the plans because the potential for damage to wildlife, locals and heritage sites was a “step too far”.
Coun Wilkinson said: “Proposals from ABP including the extension of a wildlife mitigation area from 36 to 56 hectares are not good enough for the protection of birds and other animals.
“They and our cultural heritage assets, including unexcavated archaeological remains, are extremely important.”
ABP need to go away and think about how they talk to locals. Coun David Tucker advised the applicant to be a good neighbour to concerned residents.
HOME-CLEANING TIPS from a bygone age have proved to be more effective than some modern-day methods, English Heritage experts have found.
Some unusual methods used in the Victorian era have been tested during the annual spring clean by conservators at English Heritage (EH) as they hope to reopen various sites to the public in May.
Skimmed milk was useful in cleaning the stone floors at Brodsworth Hall near Doncaster in Yorkshire while white bread shifted “an impressive” amount of dirt from wallpaper, according to EH.
Waxed timber floors came up a treat after a dose of beeswax and turpentine was used on them and a soft chamois leather, which was used instead of less eco-friendly glass cleaners, gave a shine to mirrors.
Amber Xavier-Rowe is the head of collections conservation at EH which cares for more than 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites.
She advised against using “some of the more bizarre historic cleaning tips” like using a potato to clean an oil painting but said that housekeepers of the past were often “spot on with their methods despite relatively little scientific knowledge”.