Post by Madhatter on Jun 18, 2015 11:02:52 GMT
THRIVING car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover is to call North Warwickshire its new home as planning permission is granted.
North Warwickshire Borough Council's planning board voted in favour – seven votes to four – of JLR building a new multi-million pound car storage and distribution depot on the former Baddesley Colliery site in Main Road, Baxterley.
Speaking after the verdict, the council's development control manager, Jeff Brown said: "This was a difficult case for the council to deal with as there were a number of different issues to assess.
"The board looked at all of these in some detail and following a very thorough debate, it was considered that the balance lay in the grant of a planning permission."
Concerned residents crammed inside the council chamber earlier this week for a debate which took over an hour to reach its verdict.
Speaker and Baxterley resident Jane Mahoney cited noise and light pollution as her main concerns. The site also plans to become a 24/7 operation, something Ms Mahoney said would 'destroy the respite of quiet enjoyment of members of the community and visitors alike'.
She added: "It would have negative environmental impacts and the area would lose its character."
The proposals state there would be 120 vehicles operating in and out of the 40-hectare site each day, 60 vehicles in and 60 vehicles out, with a scope for 200 HGVs operating per day.
JLR also confirmed that there would be no reversing and everything would be in a forward gear.
When asked about potential traffic increase, Gareth Williams, national distribution manager for JLR, said: "With regards to blockage we do have the ability in all of the plans to hold vehicles back. We do this in good practice at our Castle Bromwich and Solihull plants."
Mr Williams added: "We want to build a premier centre here in North Warwickshire, making it a national example on how to run a site.
"Our factory in Solihull is surrounded by residents and we take issues very seriously, acting on those at all times."
As well as confirming that the plant will create 'a number of jobs' JLR has teamed up with site owners Merevale & Blyth Estates to set up a community trust fund, managed by a new liaison group, worth £10,000 per year over a 25-year period.
This can be used to fund community projects in surrounding areas.
More details will be released in the coming weeks.
Nuneaton News
North Warwickshire Borough Council's planning board voted in favour – seven votes to four – of JLR building a new multi-million pound car storage and distribution depot on the former Baddesley Colliery site in Main Road, Baxterley.
Speaking after the verdict, the council's development control manager, Jeff Brown said: "This was a difficult case for the council to deal with as there were a number of different issues to assess.
"The board looked at all of these in some detail and following a very thorough debate, it was considered that the balance lay in the grant of a planning permission."
Concerned residents crammed inside the council chamber earlier this week for a debate which took over an hour to reach its verdict.
Speaker and Baxterley resident Jane Mahoney cited noise and light pollution as her main concerns. The site also plans to become a 24/7 operation, something Ms Mahoney said would 'destroy the respite of quiet enjoyment of members of the community and visitors alike'.
She added: "It would have negative environmental impacts and the area would lose its character."
The proposals state there would be 120 vehicles operating in and out of the 40-hectare site each day, 60 vehicles in and 60 vehicles out, with a scope for 200 HGVs operating per day.
JLR also confirmed that there would be no reversing and everything would be in a forward gear.
When asked about potential traffic increase, Gareth Williams, national distribution manager for JLR, said: "With regards to blockage we do have the ability in all of the plans to hold vehicles back. We do this in good practice at our Castle Bromwich and Solihull plants."
Mr Williams added: "We want to build a premier centre here in North Warwickshire, making it a national example on how to run a site.
"Our factory in Solihull is surrounded by residents and we take issues very seriously, acting on those at all times."
As well as confirming that the plant will create 'a number of jobs' JLR has teamed up with site owners Merevale & Blyth Estates to set up a community trust fund, managed by a new liaison group, worth £10,000 per year over a 25-year period.
This can be used to fund community projects in surrounding areas.
More details will be released in the coming weeks.
Nuneaton News
