3PL’s expansion plans to be decided by Planning Inspector
The Planning Inspectorate will decide whether a third generation specialist 3PL can or cannot expand its warehousing at the industrial estate where it has been based for the past 30 years.
By Liza Helps, Property Editor, Logistics Matters
SW GROUP Logistics is looking to build a third warehouse at its site on long established Chelworth Industrial Estate in Cricklade, Wiltshire, but because part of the overall development includes scrubland outside the strict confines of the industrial estate, the application has been refused by Wiltshire Council.
The proposed 37,394 ft2 building, a similar size to the two facilities already operated by SW Group Logistics, would be developed on a 9.89 acre site of which 4.45 acres is the aforementioned scrubland.
In its decision notice Wiltshire Council said: “The application site is in the countryside wherein development will not normally be permitted other than in accordance with relevant exception policies specified within the development plan; no such exception policy is applicable in this instance. The proposal would therefore introduce development encroaching into the countryside without any policy justification, in a location and a form of development expressly precluded by the Cricklade Neighbourhood Plan.”
SW Group Logistics said the new warehouse would enable the company to continue to provide integrated logistics and storage services for its expanding customer base including provide next day delivery.
It said that the proposals for the current site ‘is the most preferable location for the provision of a new warehouse unit, owing to the convenient location and relationship with the Company’s existing warehouses nationally (across 10 locations). While the building would be used for ‘lower churn’ storage, this material is often required to be moved internally between the Company’s sites. The provision of a new building would limit the potential for increased HGV movements associated with internal operations and movements between sites including Swindon’.
The company did approach Cricklade Town Council to discuss its proposals but owing to part of the proposed site being outside the strict confines of the Chelworth commercial area, the town council opposed the application. It recommended that the company engage with the emerging Neighbourhood Plan Review upon publication regarding the potential expansion of the Commercial Area boundary.
SW Group Logistics responded: “Unfortunately, the world of business, supply chains, logistics and the commercial pressures placed upon individual companies does not always parallel various planning regimes including the preparation of Neighbourhood Plan reviews.
“We do not live in such an ideal world. So far as we are aware it appears that during the preparation of the current Neighbourhood Plan, those drafting the boundary line did not directly seek the views of those companies at the Estate regarding their needs and particularly, in respect of any envisaged expansion plans.
“It is also clear that the defined boundary line did not accurately reflect the true extent of this locally significant commercial estate. It is also important to apply national policy which states that planning decisions should enable the sustainable growth and expansion of all types of business in rural areas through well-designed new buildings. There is no exclusion applied to the expansion of logistics or storage and distribution businesses in terms of national policy applicable to rural areas.”
The appeal will be dealt with by written representations.
