Road, rail and air - joined up infrastructure and housing moves forward in the Midlands
At our City Hall conference in May, with the NIC Chief Executive, Phil Graham, as our key speaker, the discussions centred on the vision for joined up infrastructure, housing and jobs, with Lynda Shillaw of MAG Property showcasing the new city being created around the Manchester airport site.
We focus in this blog on the important developments that are currently taking place in the east Midlands involving both road, rail and airport logistics expansion along with the building of much needed housing.
Work is underway on the nationally significant infrastructure project on the East Midlands Gateway in Leicestershire. Key components of the scheme include an international freight terminal, 6 million square feet of rail served warehousing, a new rail line connecting the terminal with Castle Donnington freight only line, a new Kegworth bypass and earthworks with landscaping to screen the buildings from view.
The planning firm, Oxalis worked with Roxhill Developments on the preparation and submission of the DCO application, including assembling the necessary planning and design information of the Environmental Statement. Oxalis also took the lead role in the coordination of the extensive public consultation process.
Another important development is at Fairham Pastures, Clifton, Nottinghamshire, which is being built on land removed from the Green Belt and allocated for 3,000 homes with 20 ha of employment space, parks, woodlands and community spaces and retail centre. Oxalis Planning has acted for the Landover Consortium on the promotion of the strategic site through the Local Plan.
In January Rushcliffe Borough Council gave the green light for the £750 million development that will create 2,500 jobs and it is considered to be the most significant mixed use development in the East Midlands. The site is to the south of Clifton, sitting alongside the new £150 million A453 Remembrance Way that links directly to the M1. It is also next to the NET tram terminus at Clifton within a 15 minute drive to the East Midlands Airport.
East Midlands Airport - owned by Manchester Airports Group - has enjoyed a record year up to March 2018, for cargo and facilitated almost £10 billion worth of goods from countries outside the EU. Aviation Minister, Baroness Sugg commented: '..figures show that East Midlands Airport cargo performance continues to go from strength to strength and play a hugely important role in boosting regional growth and investment',
She stated that the airport is the second busiest for cargo after Heathrow, with leading fashion brand clothing, Rolls Royce aero engines, smart phones and tablets, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment passing through.
SEGRO Logistics, Amazon and Nestle are some of the companies that have been attracted to establishing bases near the airport and the UK government has stated its commitment to the support all UK airports to make the best use of their existing runways for the expansion of business.