Plans passed for new offices in Hortonwood estate despite residents' objections

Dale Brothers in Hortonwood, Telford, has had plans passed to build new offices and a storage warehouse on its current site – including an external forklift ramp and car parking.

The plans received objections from residents of Horton Lane, who attended the Telford & Wrekin Council planning meeting to express their concerns.

Councillor Phillip Millward, of Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council, said that the Dale Brothers plans would include 24/7 working and more vehicles.

“Residents have raised their concerns about the ongoing light, pollution, noise, 24/7 vehicle movements, the lack of sleep and the amount of distress,” Councillor Millward said.

“We believe this would be increased by this application. There are opportunities within this application to reduce the levels of pollution being experienced by the residents.

“We wish to oppose this or at least defer it. Let everybody sit down, talk about it and find a sensible solution to this problem for the benefit of the residents and Dale Brothers.”

Councillor Gemma Offland, ward councillor for Hadley and Leegomery, said the ‘simple option’ was deferring the application.

“If discussions had taken place prior to this we might not have seen 61 objections,” added Councillor Offland. “There are issues about light pollution, where do we sit as a council when we have raised a Climate Emergency only a number of years ago?

“There’s going to be an increase in highways movements in the area, this will then have an impact on residents. We have to make sure we are on the side of our residents to protect, care and invest in their health and wellbeing to live within the borough.”

Councillor Offland said the application should be deferred to look at further sound mitigation, ecology, light pollution, climate change matters and look at a further financial 'section 106' agreement.

Dr Helen Suttenwood, a resident of Horton Lane, spoke on behalf of Horton Community Group, who objected to the plans.

Dr Suttenwood highlighted the current noise levels coming from the Dale Brothers site and took issue with the noise assessment which had been conducted. She requested that an air quality assessment was needed to look at the diesel fume pollution.

Neyland Dale, the applicant, told the council’s planning meeting that they had been based in Hortonwood for 12 years, during which they had sustained steady growth and currently have a workforce of 105.

“This will allow our company to grow, creating more employment and safeguarding its future within the Telford area,” Mr Dale said.

“We have tried to be considerate and sensitive in the building design, size, architecture and materials used.”

He added that a noise assessment had showed that the noise level fell below that recommended by the World Health Organisation.

“The same report showed that noise levels should not increase when the warehouse is in use,” Mr Dale added.

The applicant said that pallet movements would take place in the new warehouse – which would be double insulated – and fridge trailers would be run on electric power rather than diesel.

Planning committee member councillor Peter Scott proposed that plans were deferred to make sure they ‘weren’t making people’s lives worse’ by approving the building work.

“I’d rather we did it before than after because when we do get problems after, it becomes difficult to enforce,” said Councillor Scott. He was supported by councillor Steve Bentley who added that there should be restrictions on nighttime movements and speed of vehicles.

Councillor Giles Luter said that all the relevant environmental assessments had been done and didn’t see how deferring the decision will alter any of the existing information.

Planning officer Andrew Gittins said in the council’s view the proposal ‘didn’t have a detrimental impact’ on the neighbouring properties.

Councillors voted five in favour of approving the application while two abstained – after previously wanting to defer the plan.