Decision due on Warwick employment project

A decision is due to be made on plans for the development of an allocated employment site in a scheme expected to bring “significant jobs and investment” to Warwick after it was deferred last month.Midlands Land Portfolio brought forward outline plans for land to the east of Stratford Road, Longbridge.The site, which forms part of Employment Allocation E2 which extends to approximately 27.6 acres, is partly brownfield land due to a former Severn Trent depot occupying the eastern side.A number of buildings have recently been demolished and the site also contains areas of hardstanding in the form of car parking areas and a tennis court. The rest is considered to be greenfield land.Lined up the construction of about 430,000 sq ft of employment floorspace, illustratively shown as being contained within three warehouse industrial buildings.A total of 391 car parking spaces are also proposed.”The proposal seeks the development of an allocated employment site for employment purposes, which will bring significant jobs and investment into the area,” a planning statement said. “As such, it can be concluded that the proposal would provide significant benefits and is considered to represent sustainable development when considered against the three dimensions set out above.”This application was referred to Warwick District Council’s planning committee on 13 September but was deferred to allow for a site visit.It will now be considered on 11 October.A report for the committee said: “Having regard to all the possible impacts of the proposed development, in relation to visual and landscape impacts, the setting of heritage assets, residential amenity, highway safety and traffic, drainage, ecology, sustainability measures and air quality, officers are satisfied that the site can accommodate the proposed development without causing demonstrable harm to the aforementioned matters.”