Depot plan revealed for Blackpool site

Fox Brothers (Lancashire Ltd) has applied to Blackpool Council for planning permission to use land at Squires Gate Industrial Estate on Squires Gate Lane for the storage of up to 67 wagons, a workshop and a concrete mixing plant.

The company has purchased an additional chunk of land, formerly used as a gas distribution depot, so it can operate further away from houses than previous proposals for development.

It also says it will use special barriers to reduce the potential noise impact on surrounding residential properties, which will be around 300 metres away from the concrete plant.

In its application, Fox Brothers says it has considered 10 other sites for its contractors depot but all have fallen through as they were either not big enough, unsuitable for industrial development or already acquired by other operators.

A design brief accompanying the application says: “The security of a large number of jobs, the majority in the local borough are at risk (101 in total) if the applicant cannot find a suitable, operational base for his business.”

Also at risk would be 14 administrative jobs at offices at Whitehills Business Park.

The applicant says the character of the area is “of an industrial landscape” and the proposal “would have minimal impact on the locality.”

Documents add the development is “approximately 120 metres away from the site boundary to the nearest houses (most are further away than that), however, the crushing plant is 290-300 metres away from the nearest properties in Oakwood Close.

“This distance is considered to be an acceptable distance away to preserve occupants’ amenities and to ensure there is no detrimental impact because of the development proposed.

“When the planted mounds are completed, visual impact will be even less. Planning conditions can be applied to limit an impact on residents, from 8am start to 6pm finish if required.”

The application will go before town hall planners at a future date.

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