Gazeley and Harworth Estates have secured planning permission for an 850,000 sq ft rail connected warehouse at their G.Park Ashby de la Zouch joint venture in the East Midlands following a four year application process.
This will be Gazeley’s first rail connected site and the facility could create up to 1,000 new jobs.
The 86 acre site was previously used for the distribution of coal from local surface mines.
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Don Morgan, director at Gazeley, said: “G. Park Ashby de la Zouch will be a unique site and will offer potential customers an almost unparalleled level of multi modal connection with the rest of the UK. As anticipated we have already received interest in the site, and now, with the planning permission in place, we will pursue negotiations with these companies and commence a targeted phase of marketing.”
Planning permission for the site has been granted on the basis of a number of significant obligations to be undertaken by Gazeley and Harworth Estates. As part of their joint plan, Gazeley and Harworth Estates proposed a £50,000 contribution to the National Forest; retention and maintenance of the existing rail sidings; improvement of the rail connection back to Burton-on-Trent to allow passage of large W8 size freight containers; and completion of extensive ecology works, which will include a stream diversion and one of the largest translocations of great crested newts in the UK.
Located to the south of Ashby, in the North West Leicestershire District, G. Park Ashby de la Zouch has access to the M42/A42 at Junction 13, and is connected by an existing rail siding to the Leicester to Burton-on-Trent railway line.
Morgan, said: ” The site has been one of the more complex planning procedures we have undertaken. We have had to overcome a number of difficult technical issues at a time of considerable change in the planning process. Success demonstrates our ability to pilot a very difficult proposal through the system.”
Network Rail now regards this site as one of the 10 best opportunities in the UK to attract more freight onto the rail system.
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