Councillors set to decide ‘unpopular’ warehouse development - again

By Liza Helps Property Editor Logistics Matters

COUNCILLORS ON the committee refused the original application put forward by Drummond Estates and The Inverock Trust – going against the advice of their planning officers in October last year to the delight of local campaigners who have battled for four years against the application as reported at the time in Logistics Matters https://www.logisticsmatters.co.uk/Leicestershire-councillors-vote-against-advice

This time the developers have submitted an amended scheme, which yet again the planning officers have directed council members to accept. The developer are also appealing the decision for the refusal of the original scheme.

According to Drummond Estate and The Inverock Trust the proposal would represent an investment of £200 million in the local economy and would create around 2,000 permanent new jobs and 125 jobs during construction.

Original proposals for Enderby Logistics Hub envisaged four units ranging from 53,000 to 500,000 ft2 and a training centre built on the site next to the Enderby Park and Ride, off St Johns being developed on an 80 acre plot next to Junction 21 of the M1 motorway. The new plan no longer proposes the training centre, but instead includes three general industrial buildings in addition to the original four. The scheme was first considered in February 2019.

The amended proposals have garnered 2,699 representations: 2,669 against and 30 for the development.

The original application was refused on the grounds that the highways report does not go far enough and that the impact of the development has not been considered strongly enough, and that the development does not meet current employment needs.

Planning officers looking at the second  application noted: “By virtue of the application site’s location and proximity to the strategic road network alongside other large-scale commercial uses and a nearby source of labour, the site is considered to be highly attractive to the market, offering employment opportunities for the local population in a location which is accessible by walking, cycling and public transport.”

The County Council and the Highways Authority have no objection to the development.