Controversial mega Corby warehouse park approved

Mulberry Developments will build the huge warehouse park on 200 acres of land between Stanion and Weldon
The warehouse park will be made up of four zones across 200 acres.The warehouse park will be made up of four zones across 200 acres.
The warehouse park will be made up of four zones across 200 acres.

Another huge logistics park has been approved for the East of Corby, despite mass objections from residents and neighbouring villages.

Corby Council’s planning committee unanimously approved last night (June 28) the plans for Mulberry Development’s massive warehouse park at Cowthick Plantation.

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The developer says the site will bring 7,000 new jobs to the town and the economic benefits were a key reason for planning officers advising that despite the scheme being outside of the masterplan for the area, it should be approved.

The Cowthick Plantation at the southern end of the site will remain.The Cowthick Plantation at the southern end of the site will remain.
The Cowthick Plantation at the southern end of the site will remain.

Head of planning Iain Smith told councillors before they made the decision this could be the last chance before the unitary council is set up next Spring to approve such a large scheme.

He said: “This is an enviable opportunity that will enable this authority to fulfil its long term of regenerating Corby through growth. With the advent of the new unitary authority that is unlikely to be presented again.”

The park will be set over 200 acres and made up of four zones totalling 404,000 sqm of employment space – which will largely be logistics. It is being built on greenfield and former steelworks quarry land. The Cowthick plantation at the southern end of the site close to Stanion will be retained.

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Phil Jones, the managing director of Mulberry Developments, said the scheme would be a sister site for Midlands Logistics Park, which is sited on the former Stanion Lane plantation and is now home to Europa and iforce. He said Midlands Logistics Park was equal £4.6m a year in business rate payments and there was already a big multi-national name lined up to take one of the large units at the new warehouse park.

Before the councillors made the decision a number of objectors from different villages had lined up to voice their objections. The authority had received 200 written objections to the scheme. Much was about the impact lorries going to and from the park would have on the villages that sit along the A6116 between Corby and Thrapston as they would use this road as a shortcut to the A14.

The employment site also sits outside the North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy – the main planning document that lays out where new employment zone, housing and developments should go.

East Northamptonshire Council’s planning officer Dean Wishart said the mega warehouse park was a signature departure from the approved vision for the area and said Corby Council was considering the economic benefit and jobs at the expense of other factors such as potential traffic problems and flooding and water pollution risks.

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Bill Heelan from Stanion Parish Council said it was an ‘outrageous’ application and questioned whether the promises of jobs and infrastructure would ever come to fruition.

He told the councillors: “Do not be beguiled by brochures. The applicant has but one aim. That is to achieve planning permission.”

And Chris Horsman from Little Stanion Parish Council implored the councillors to say no to the scheme.

He said: “It is about time you as a council had a seismic change and put residents, not businesses first.”

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Richard Page called the council out on it’s declaration of a climate change emergency made last year and said the increased lorries travelling to the site would have a negative impact.

The local highways authority initially had an objection to the scheme but withdrew it with the condition the developer carry out a manage and mitigate approach – which means Mulberry Developments would put in traffic measures throughout the lifetime of the development depending on where the pressure points would be on traffic.

The application was approved and the committee delegated authority to the head of planning to agree planning conditions and 106 developer contributions.

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