A flagship business park, which could bring 3,000 jobs and significant inward investment to the County, has been given the go ahead by South Northamptonshire Council – following a planning committee meeting last evening.
Planning consent has just been granted to regional developer Hampton Brook for the development of 1.78 million sq ft of industrial and distribution warehousing adjacent to Junction 16 of the M1 motorway. M1dway J16 scheme is set across 90.7 acres (36.7 hectares) and the flexibility of the masterplan ensures its capability of delivering 1.78 million sq ft in buildings from 76,500 sq ft up to 870,000 sq ft.
Graham Stanton, Managing Director at Hampton Brook, said: “We are happy to have received planning permission for a new business park of this magnitude.”
“Whilst M1dway Park offers an opportunity for a high quality development, its flexibility to accommodate a range of efficient logistics facilities, will service not just the growth in electronic retailing, but also the manufacturing process. The development is innovative, sustainable and the high quality design will attract major regional and national employers to the site, which will undoubtedly lead to a high level of job creation.”
The Park will have two points of access of the A4500 Weedon Road, via two new roundabouts and a 50mph speed limit implemented from Harpole through to the M1 at Junction 16. Provisions for a five acre lorry park has also been approved as part of the planning application.
Graham Stanton concludes: “The M1 corridor is a key location for the distribution/logistic sector development – strategically located within the ‘Golden Triangle’ providing for unrivalled access to the M6 in the north and the M40 to the south.”
“It is envisaged that M1dway Park will go some way to relieving the latent demand for space from both existing and new occupiers which is currently unfulfilled. This in turn will ‘boost’ investment in the East Midlands and support local economic growth.”
The project comes with an agreement for the developer to contribute towards infrastructure improvements and enhancing bus services in accordance with new development under S106 Government rules. The flexibility of the proposed layout of the scheme also allows for the units to be constructed in an extensively landscaped setting and incorporate a central landscaped boulevard.
