MoD Donnington planning application approved
A planning application aimed at putting Telford in the best possible position to attract the Ministry of Defence’s logistics operation has been given the go ahead.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s planning committee last night unanimously approved an application for the expansion of the MoD Donnington site.
The council’s aim is to persuade the MoD to make Donnington a main centre for the National Defence Logistics Gateway and the grant of planning permission is necessary to ensure Telford is ready in the event it gets the nod.
If the Telford bid is successful, it will help protect 750 jobs at Donnington and may also attract up to 450 new jobs to the borough.
The applications provide for the maximum requirements that the MoD would have in order to give them greater flexibility.
The application includes a Fulfilment Centre which at its maximum would be 675,000 sq ft and up to 35 metres high in part. Whether all of this would be utilised would depend on whether the MoD decided that the warehouse should be fully automated, which would require a smaller footprint but maximum height.
On the same site, the planning application also includes a further 200,000 sq ft warehouse as well as a 30,000 sq ft three storey office building.
A second planning application, which will be determined shortly, relates to a plot of land which is adjacent to the Telford International Railfreight Park.
It includes a 280,000 sq ft warehouse and distribution facility on land to the east of Hortonwood 37 and along the western boundary of the existing MoD Donnington site.
Councillor Bill McClements, cabinet member for Finance and Enterprise, said: “The approval granted by the planning committee is another step in the work to put Telford in the best possible position to be successful in our bid to become the MoD’s location of choice.
”We know there are absolutely no guarantees of success but the potential rewards for the borough are huge. We owe it to the economy of Telford to do our very, very best to convince the MoD that we are the best option
“I am confident that we can provide an excellent value for money solution for MoD’s future national logistics requirements.
“This would in turn safeguard existing jobs, create opportunities for new ones and raise Telford’s profile and prestige.”
The MoD decision on where its logistics operation is based is likely to be later this year.
