Magna Park bosses delight over plans
BOSSES behind Lutterworth distribution hub Magna Park say they are delighted that their plans to create a HGV parking depot have been successful.
Gazeley was given the go-ahead to create the 170-HGV parking facility at the edge of Magna Park at a meeting last Tuesday evening.
Although the plans were submitted by Gazeley, the site will be owned and operated by national haulage firm Stobart – which said the site was essential to allow it to meet the demands of contracts at Magna Park.
Gazeley planning manager Gwyn Stubbings said he was very pleased that the plans had been backed by the full council.
He added: “There have been quite a few milestones with this plan.
“It was supported by Lutterworth Town Council when we presented it to them originally, the planning officers recommended the plans for approval, the planning committee gave it the green light and now it has been supported by full council.
“We are now progressing the legal obligations of the planning permission. One is for us to create a lorry travel plan and the other is for Stobart to have an employment co-ordinator who ensures that the jobs are advertised to people in the Lutterworth area.
“All being well, Stobart are looking to start work on the ground in the new year after the archaeology surveys and so on are completed.
“They hope to have the site operational as soon as possible after that.”
Last Tuesday’s meeting was the second time the plans had been heard by Harborough District Council members.
The scheme was backed by the district council’s planning committee about six weeks ago, but after that meeting a group of councillors called in the application, meaning it would have to be debated a second time at last Tuesday’s full council meeting.
At the full council meeting, several councillors said they felt that even though the scheme was creating more than 100 jobs, that did not outweigh the fact that the scheme was against planning policy.
However, a motion to turn down the plans was defeated by 22 votes to five.
Several councillors said the economic benefits and jobs creation aspect of the plan meant they were backing it.
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Weather for Market Harborough
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
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