Warehouse Development to Create Ten New Jobs

A huge warehouse and distribution centre anticipated for a long empty site in Botley Road will create just eight to ten new jobs according to a planning application submitted on 24th May.  Cleared five years ago, the site was formerly occupied by Ryvan Chemicals and Simmons Engineering.

At 15,000 sq ft with the same area for car parking, the engineering tool warehouse will be the largest building in the new development and will provide jobs at the rate of one for every 3,000 sq ft.

Coalition-created austerity means that even the smallest number of new jobs is welcome, but these plans indicate how expensive in terms of land modern jobs in "traditional" industries and businesses can be as employers are forced to cut their labour costs.

Lib Dem Plan for Jobs Inadequate

At the same rate, the four "employment areas" proposed for Hedge End in the Draft Local Plan amendments (see "Wildern Mill: Lib Dems Change Their Minds" and "Green Fields: Further Lib Dem Raids") would generate just 94 jobs.  Not many to share around the nearly 4,000 houses that the Lib Dems want to build in Hedge End and Botley.

Unimaginative planning has led to sites being designated for business, industry and distribution purposes, with nothing for the caring professions or leisure and other professional services which are likely to generate more jobs as Hedge End's population grows older in the next twenty years.  If the Council's plans are to sacrifice green fields for "employment" they should seek to maximise the employment benefit from the land and get as many jobs per square foot as possible.

Highways and Plannings Committee 6th June

Hedge End Town Council does not decide planning applications, but it has the right to comment on and object to any application in Hedge End.  The Highways and Planning Committee, which next meets on 6th June, has delegated powers to do this, and although it does not publish in advance the applications to be considered, I would expect the Botley Road warehouse development to be discussed at the June meeting.