Newark Town Council planning committee supportive of employment opportunities provided by proposed new warehouse development by Tritax Big Box, off A17, in Coddington.

A council is saying “hooray for employment” after reviewing plans for a proposed large new warehouse development.

In January, an outline planning application was submitted by logistics investor Tritax Big Box, for three new warehouses totalling just under 1million sq ft, off the A17 in Coddington, alongside 40 acres of dedicated biodiversity land and improvements.

The plans have received numerous letters and comments from neighbouring residents, with just as many writing in favour of the project as those who are against.

The developers state that the creation of the warehouses could create more than 1,000 new jobs for the area.

At this week’s meeting of Newark Town Council’s planning committee, councillors examined the plans.

Lyn Roulstone questioned the employment benefits which had been laid out, saying: “[The developers] say they will provide all these jobs, but they are not necessarily the type of jobs that we need.”

Laurence Goff said: “I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, if they say they will provide these jobs then that is a good thing.”

The land is currently occupied by agricultural fields, with the first phase of the project — which was approved in 2022 — currently under construction in the north west corner of the site.

Others were torn after reviewing the proposals, including Barbara Corrigan, who said: “My initial observations are a fear for a loss of green space.

“But looking at the proximity of two very busy major roads [A1 and A46] and with similar developments nearby — here is probably better than in the middle of the countryside.

“I can’t quite decide the priorities. Conceptually, putting a distribution centre on this site is probably the right thing to do, but whether it mitigates the loss of the land for agricultural and wildlife, I don’t know.”

Committee chairman Lisa Geary considered the plans to be speculative, but agreed with councillors that welcomed employment opportunities into the area, adding a hope that “interested parties are found before shovels are put into the ground.”

She also welcomed “access to the countryside through public rights of way” as part of the inclusion of a “green buffer” in the plans, following concern from Neil Ross about active travel and access to the site.

This proposed buffer zone would total one third of the site area and will be reserved for environmental purposes, with existing woodland retained, making up 15 hectares of land to the southern edge of the site which will act as a buffer and natural screening.

Vice-chairman Tom Collier added: “I see the point that it is speculative building, but it also contains a report on a recent doubling of employment in logistics in the Newark area, so it does meet a demand, and in a way that is as least disruptive as possible.”

Ultimately the planning committee chose not to object to the plans, but submitted their concerns to the developers for consideration.

As committee chairman Lisa Geary summarised it, “we’re not saying hooray for warehouses, but we are saying hooray for employment.”

A final decision will be made by Newark and Sherwood District Council.