£23m warehouse jobs bonanza

vision for the future . . . an artist’s impression of how the site will look

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ONE of Oldham’s biggest employers has drawn up new £23m expansion plans which will secure 1,000 current jobs and create 120 new ones.

Home shopping retailer JD Williams wants to expand its logistics operation in Beal Lane, Shaw, and create up to 120 additional jobs over the next five years.

The company had a controversial planning application for a 127ft warehouse refused by Oldham Council in 2008. An appeal against that decision was then refused by planning inspectors in March, 2009 after campaigners formed the SOS group — Stop Overdeveloping Shaw — to fight the plans.

The application was refused due to visual and landscape impact of the proposed building.

JD Williams now intends to submit a revised planning application with proposals for a new building measuring 78ft in height.

This is 40 per cent lower than the previous application and lower in height than Lilac Mill, one of the distribution centres currently onsite.

The new building aims to improve efficiency and capacity in manually processing orders.

Previous plans for a multi-storey car park have been replaced by surface level parking with no additional spaces.

And traffic has been reduced by 40 per cent due to better use of the delivery fleet.

Ian Carr, general manager at JD Williams, said the smaller warehouse was in response to the way the firm had changed its operational activity over the past 18 months due to the economic climate, as well as addressing previous concerns.

He said: “Our plans represent substantial investment in our Shaw site and we remain committed to engaging with our neighbours regarding the proposals.”

A public exhibition will be held next month for local residents to view the plans and speak to members of the development team.

The company plans to lodge the application with Oldham Council in September and hopes to have a decision by December.

Mr Carr added: “The forthcoming public exhibition will allow local people to view the plans in more detail and for us to hear the views of the community before submitting a planning application.

“We are confident that through on-going dialogue, local people will understand the importance of the proposals for safeguarding the future of our operation in Shaw, as well as be reassured that we are very mindful about keeping the visual impact of the new building on the surrounding area to a minimum.”




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