£36 million DX Freight site on verge of go-ahead

Plans submitted by DX Group for the 44-acre site on Hobnock Road have been recommended for approval when they go before a South Staffordshire Council planning meeting on Tuesday.

The former Nightfreight business aims to transfer staff from its two existing sites in Willenhall to the new centre but has faced fierce opposition, with residents saying the plans 'could kill the village'.

The Group intends to have its new base open by next summer.

The proposals being considered are scaled down plans of an initial application submitted in August 2015.

Current plans, submitted in February, have seen the total area of the site reduced by 29,063sq ft (2,700sqm) compared to the previous plans. Planning documents submitted with the application state that following concerns from residents during a public exhibition in September 2015, the applicant has revised the overall design of the proposed head office and distribution centre.

The application covers the proposed new distribution centre and head office facility, putting up a warehousing and distribution building, head office building, associated ancillary workshop and gate house buildings.

It also includes the creation of new accesses, car and lorry parking facilities, as well as associated landscaping, fencing, engineering and ground stability works.

A report to the planning committee states that a number of consultation responses have been received in response to the plans.

South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson held a referendum over the plans, where 872 households responded, which equates to 43 per cent of households in the area. Of those responses, 99 per cent agreed with the MP that the plans should not be given the go-ahead. Residents have protested against the scheme and highlighted traffic congestion and highway safety among their concerns.

The report says the firm expects the new site to open in late summer/autumn 2017 and that there will then be a phased relocation of existing hub operations with a view to the project being fully complete and operational within the next 24 months.

In September, around 500 residents packed into a four-hour meeting over the issue. As well as concerns over traffic and noise, residents have also raised fears over the safety of pupils at nearby St John's Primary School. However, DX have said the plans will bring new life to the site.