‘Twin’ mega warehouses on edge of Corby's Priors Hall estate set to go ahead

Two huge logistics warehouses look set to be built next to Corby’s Priors Hall estate.

The first, being built by local firm MPB next to the Morrisons distribution warehouse, attracted more than 100 objections but was finally rubber stamped by planning officers earlier this week.

A second, on the opposite side of the road and next to Rockingham Speedway, is recommended for approval when it goes before North Northants Council’s strategic planning committee tonight (Monday, February 20) – despite dozens more local objections.

Both sit inside the Rockingham Enterprise Area, designated by the local authority in 2016 as prime land for the development of ‘high quality employment’ opportunities.

MPB submitted the plans for their 500,000 sq ft warehouse on the land the size of eleven football pitches months after they cleared it of more than 1,000 trees to the horror of local residents.

The company is also the landowner behind recent planning housing applications at the former steelworks office block and the derelict Co-op building in Alexandra Road.

More than 100 people have formally objected to the plans, which will see the warehouse built between the Corby Northern Orbital Road and Gretton Road, just 40 metres from the nearest homes.

Locals residents say the site will cause an unacceptable increase in traffic as well as noise and light pollution.

There are also many letters of support from other areas of the town which, unusually, contain identical handwriting, but with different addresses attached.

In October 2022, the council’s strategic planning committee gave the scheme the nod, but ordered more reports to be undertaken. Those have now been completed and officers green-lighted the plans last Monday (February 13).

The land is a former steelworks tip and is contaminated, so the development will be built on piled foundations. Geotechnical assessments found concentrations of arsenic, zinc, copper and nickel. Groundwater assessments found sulphate concentrations across the site were greater than drinking water standards.

A survey also found that the migration of hazardous ground gases including methane and carbon dioxide into confined spaces in the new warehouse structures, from the historical landfills as well as the quarry backfill across the majority of the site, could pose a moderate risk to construction workers and those employed at the site in future.

Tonight, a second warehouse of a near-identical size just across the Northern Orbital Road also looks set to be given the nod.

The council’s Strategic Planning Committee will hear details of the large-scale development by £100m-firm Mulberrry Commercial Developments. The company has previously developed a range of key sites across the town including the Tesco land at St Mark’s Road, the town centre cinema and restaurant complex, the Midlands Logistics Park in Geddington Road and the forthcoming Cowthick Plantation warehouse site.

Its next project is on the former backfilled quarry land next to Rockingham Speedway and could create up to 699 jobs when complete, and generate £843,000 in business rates per annum. The developer also says that there would be wages generated on the site of nearly £20m per year.

But Mulberry will be compelled, by way of a Section 106 agreement, to fully restore the derelict Grade II listed Weldon Lodge which sits on the edge of the site.

Local people who responded to a public consultation raised a huge number of objections including the accusation that local people were ‘fed lies’ when they bought homes on the Priors Hall estate, before these two applications were submitted.

Thirty three locals have objected to the scheme, including Weldon Parish Council.

They say that the site will generate high levels of traffic, noise and pollution and that there are already too many warehouses in North Northamptonshire.

One said: “I brought my house as it was lovely feeling like we were living in a nice quiet clean area. I do not understand why there always seem to be plans for these very large warehouses right next to a residential area. If this goes ahead we will definitely be looking to sell our house.”

Urban & Civic, the developer of Priors Hall, had submitted detailed concerns to NNC in August last year, but withdrew their submission on Wednesday last week.

A report to councillors, which recommends the scheme for approval, states: “An Economic Benefits Statement.. found that the logistics sector in North Northamptonshire currently supports 22,000 jobs and accounts for 14 per cent of total employment.

"Between 2015 and 2022 there was a growth rate of 11,000 making it the fastest growing sector in North Northamptonshire.

“With due regard to the above outlined trends officers acknowledge that concerns have been raised over the overprovision of storage and distribution facilities within the Corby.

“While the existence of smaller storage and distribution facilities is acknowledged consideration has been given to the limited provision of larger individual warehousing units for which there is also local demand. It is considered that the proposed development would be a suitable response to this demand.”

The construction would take place across the fourth exit on the stalled Corby Northern Orbital road, meaning it would become unusable in the future. It was originally designed to take traffic to Rockingham Speedway. A new access will instead be created at a T-junction in front of the building.

Local people have recently begun to object to the number of warehouses being built across North Northamptonshire, with pressure group STAUNCH set up to protect the Upper Nene Valley from warehouse developments.

The meeting takes place tonight at 7pm in the Corby Cube and is open to members of the public.