Hinckley Times

Magna Park owner buys adjacent site from a rival

- TOM PEGDEN hinckleyti­mes@rtrinitymi­rror.com

MAGNA Park’s owner has bought a huge plot of land next to its Lutterwort­h site from a rival developer.

Gazeley Plc bought the 220acre Symmetry Park plot on the other side of the A4203.

The undevelope­d site, which it has renamed Magna Park South, has outline planning for about 4.5 million sq ft of warehousin­g, gained by previous owner DB Symmetry.

Gazeley has now asked

Harborough District Council to sign off permission for four big sheds on the bottom half of the site, bordering the A5.

One of the new buildings would be 755,000 sq ft.

Gazeley got outline planning on appeal last year for another parcel of land it owns, Magna Park North, which covers 590 acres, and could have 3 million sq ft of buildings when it is built on.

Tenants on Magna Central site include Toyota, BT and Britvic.

Together, the three pieces of land have a total area of 1,360

Park Asda, acres and have 15.8 buildings.

It will easily be one of the biggest warehouse parks in Europe, if not the world.

Bradgate Park covers 830 acres while the SEGRO Logistics Park, going up off junction 24 of the M1 near East Midlands Airport, is 700 acres.

A Gazeley spokesman said: “With ownership of both sites, Gazeley will be able to deliver a more coordinate­d expansion of Magna Park, including highways improvemen­ts and could eventually million sq ft of greater public benefits.

“This will ensure we can better serve the community, improve estate management and further mitigate the overall impact of the developmen­t.”

During the original planning process for Magna Park North and Symmetry Park, it was estimated the two sites could create 9,000 jobs.

Outline planning was given despite objections. There were concerns about transport the loss of large swathes of open countrysid­e, pollution and the impact of the developmen­ts on the road network.

Ullesthorp­e resident Maggie

Pankhurst, who was one of the opponents, said: “Magna Park is one of the biggest warehouse parks in Europe and they were originally talking about making it one of the biggest in the world.

“With the third site now included, that’s even more likely.

“I think it’s madness, as the A5 can’t take all the traffic as it is. It’s a single lane most of the time and all those extra lorries will add to the traffic.”

 ?? GOOGLE ?? COMPLEX: Magna Park, with Lutterwort­h above it in this image. Below, plans for four more warehouses at Magna Park South
GOOGLE COMPLEX: Magna Park, with Lutterwort­h above it in this image. Below, plans for four more warehouses at Magna Park South
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