Planning Inspectorate gives thumbs down to Basingstoke facility

Newlands Developments' plans to build a large warehouse for Lidl close to a motorway junction have been rejected following an unsuccessful appeal.

Despite Newlands Developments reducing the size of the planned facility from 271,000 to 101,000 square metres, bringing the height of the buildings between by two to three metres across the site, and arguing it would create 1,400 local jobs, the Planning Inspectorate threw out its appeal last week.

The planning authority said the site would have "major effects" on the area and said that its location would "detract from the area's landscape qualities and the setting of the town."

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The appeal followed Basingstoke Borough Council rejection of the developer's plans for the facility in May this year, following concerted local opposition to the development.

The council ruled that the development, which was to be located close to the M3 near Basingstoke, would harm the area's landscape and environment.

Local campaigners had also argued the plans were in contradiction to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's plan to make the area carbon neutral by 2030.