ANGRY residents have lodged strong objections to plans for a major distribution warehouse at Omega South, Warrington – just outside the area where outline planning consent already exists for the first phases of the giant development area.
The unit would be about 300 metres from the nearest dwellings in Burtonwood Road – but residents claim it would be “huge, 40 metres high and over-bearing.”
They also argue that it would result in a vast increase in industrial HGV traffic on local raods currently catering for domestic traffic to local housing and three schools.
Concerns over loss of wildlife habitat, noise, air pollution, insufficient consultation and a lack of consideration for a scheduled ancient monument – the Pickett-Hamilton fort – are also expressed.
Residents also claim they have been grossly misled as consultation in the past has indicated the area would be used for a hotel, offices, cafe, etc. They also point out that Omega was originally intended to provide quality, career-based employment rather than the low or unskilled employment a distribution centre will offer.
The plan has been put forward by Omega Warrington Ltd (OWL) and is being recommended for approval by planning officers at Warrington.
It consists of a distribution warehouse, 39 metres at its maximum height, on a 25 hectare site. Access would be from a signal controlled junction from the existing spur from Junction 8 of the M62, although there would be separate employee access. There would be staff parking for 380 veh9cles and 250 spaces for HGVs.
The site would open next year, with about 253 staff but this number would increase to 421 by 2024.
Part of an existing national network for the storage and distribution of supermarket produce, the building would have no refrigeration but would open over a seven day continuous cycle.
Officers say although the site is outside the area where outline permission for the first phases of Omega was granted in 2007, it is allocated for employment development. They consider the proposal acceptable.
ANGRY residents have lodged strong objections to plans for a major
distribution warehouse at Omega South, Warrington - just outside the area where
outline planning consent already exists for the first phases of the
giant development area.
Anger over warehouse plan
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
5 Comments
more traffic jams
no benefits.
400+ jobs is no benefit???? Not everyone who works in a warehouse is low skilled or low paid – there will be Team Leaders, Shift Managers, Logistics Planners, IT staff, Maintenance Engineers, HR people, the list goes on.
It looks to me like the local residents are throwing everything but the kitchen sink into their objections citing, “loss of wildlife habitat, noise, air pollution, insufficient consultation and a lack of consideration for a scheduled ancient monument” – I’m only surprised that huge colonies of voles and newts haven’t been suddenly discovered – but they then show themselves as the hypocrites they are by claiming they were promised a development of hotels, offices and cafes – all of which would have exactly the same effects.
They also cite “increased HGV traffic on local roads” as an objection – completely ignoring the fact that this site will have dedicated access from the motorway junction.
NIMBY’s
Why don’t they stick the distribution stuff on the other side of the motorway where there are no houses and no schools and no local roads and residents? It isn’t like there isn’t enough room!!!
Yeah.
‘cos NIMBYS are ALWAYS WRONG.
Right?
Well, maybe there aren’t any houses, schools and local road concerns right now (though there well may be for some people), but there may be in the future.
I think it’s what they call “planning”.