‘IMPACT WILL BE TREMENDOUS’
Villagers fight plans for new logistics site
more than 300 people are fighting proposals for a new industrial and logistics site – just metres from a school.
more than 1,000 jobs could be created if the plans put forward by developer St modwen for a site next to Junction 13 of the m6 are given the go-ahead.
But campaigners are concerned the development, earmarked for farmland near St Leonard’s First School, would lead to light pollution, noise and traffic issues in the village of Dunston.
An online petition opposing the development has been backed by more than 300 people so far and Dunston villagers are also rallying round to get as many objections submitted to South Staffordshire District Council as possible before its consultation ends on monday.
South Staffordshire mp Sir Gareth Williamson has been contacted by several residents about the application. District councillors and residents attended a public meeting to discuss the plans at Dunston Village Hall.
objector rob Stubbs said: “There is almost nothing about the impact on residents but the impact will be tremendous on the village. There is nothing that benefits this community, it is all negative to this community.”
Parent Lynsay marsden is also opposing the plans, and said: “We chose the school for its rural location and the tranquillity of the countryside.
“It is going to be ruined with lorries coming every day.”
Councillor Andrew Adams highlighted potential parking issues in the area, as well as impact on wildlife such as badgers and bats.
He said: “We don’t know if lighting is going to be 24 hours a day and bats need dark corridors.
“This development is a significant intrusion into the local countryside. We know the agricultural land is Grade 2, which is one of the best, and we need to protect land like that.”
Councillor mark Sutton said: “Dunston is defined as a small service village where limited development may be acceptable for provision of rural affordable houses.
“employment development should be limited to rural development and rural diversification. This will completely change the aspect of the village. It’s right next to the village and the impact will include light pollution and air pollution.”
But St modwen Logistics’ consultation website stated: “The site is not located in the Green Belt and given its proximity to the m6 and the wider strategic road network would become one of the best-located employment sites in the region. This development will bring wide ranging socioeconomic and environmental benefits to the local area, creating over 1,000 new jobs across a variety of skill levels, and helping to meet industry demand for high quality employment space.
“We want to create a high quality, modern, sustainable and industry leading employment park that provides benefits to the local community and improves the local environment.
“The development would offer a variety of jobs at differing skill levels, with an increasing proportion of higher-skill roles associated with engineering and technological professions in response to increased automation and robotics in the sector and more advanced supply chain processes. office-based roles are increasingly colocating alongside production and logistics uses as it is convenient for these people to be closer to the operations they control and analyse.”