Local residents are in despair after the multi-million pound home retailer The Range submitted a planning application for a 775,000 square foot distribution centre along west cepen way in Chippenham.
The centre will be one of the largest in the region - almost matching the west’s largest single building, Morrisons distribution centre along the the M5 in Somerset.
Campaigners against the centre have started a website The Rally Against The Range to get local people backing a petition to stop any future plans. The campaigners on the website highlighted the consequences of the project: “It will have a serious detrimental effect on business in the town centre. Both small and large stores selling furniture, household goods, clothes, linen and camping goods would lose business, and as a result may be forced to close.”
The website also estimates: “At least 150 HGV articulated vehicle trucks around and through Chippenham, every day as well as traffic generated by employee vehicles.”
A local resident near to the sight said "It is going to impact on the traffic in our estate and they’ll have to have lights on 24 hours for security.”
Protestors have already held a march around the proposed site and put up signs to get more people involved but recently they have been vandalised. A £1,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the successful prosecution of the culprit.
Campaigner Elizabeth Kennedy told the Wiltshire Times: “Instead of having a beautiful rural view of Cepen Park residents are going to get a monster of a building. And Allington is a conservation area.”
The new store and the distribution centre will bring £31 million to the Wiltshire economy each year, 1,000 new jobs and £20 million lift to Wiltshire’s economy during construction.
The Range recently released a document including updated plans and answers to the residents questions. The Range included why they chose Chippenham: “Chippenham is considered a highly suitable location due to its good access to the M4 and the large workforce. The town has been identified as a strategically important centre within Wiltshire and compared to larger centres, the economic benefits of the proposals will be felt much more strongly in the local area”
However, some residents are pleased with the plans for a new store in Chippenham, including Mr Snell who spoke to the Gazzette and Herald: “I’ve lived here all my 66 years. I can remember when we used to drive cattle down the High Street.”
“We need to provide work and to ensure the future for our children and grandchildren. Too many companies have been pushed away from this area; we’ve lost Aldi, Lidl and Asda to Melksham, losing potential employment to the town.”
The decision will be made by Wiltshire Council in early March and if the planning application is approved The Range hope to start construction in May and opening in spring 2016.
For more information on the plans visit: http://chippenhamrdc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Chippenham-Update-Newsletter.pdf
Questions/information-
Email-
Hi,
I am a news reporter from the Bath Chronicle was just wondering if it would be ok if you could answer a few questions about your plans for opening a new store and a distribution centre in Chippenham.
Local residents have made claims about how many lorries will be coming in and out of the centre each day. They have told us that there will be an estimate of around 150 lorries each day and one about every 10 minutes?
Some residents are worried that the the centre will be a massive grey building in the middle of the country side. Are you doing anything to make the building environmentally friendly and will you be doing anything to cover the building?
Do you feel that it is acceptable to build a distribution in a tower why couldn’t you have built it closer to the the motorway?
Local residents have spoke to us saying that the centre will create queues of traffic in the Chippenham area and centre. Are you doing anything to help this flow of traffic?
Thank you very much for your time.
Oliver Hooper
Quote-
Chippenham quote, Chris Dawson, owner and founder of The Range.
“We’re looking for a new long-term home in Chippenham. We’re investing in Chippenham as it is perfectly positioned to service our store network, support our new stores and the town has the labour force we need.
“Our site is well positioned for the development. It is set back from the A350, it has excellent access to the M4, and is close enough to the town to enable local people to work close to where they live and local businesses to benefit economically.
“The economic benefits of our proposals are massive. We will create up to 1,000 new jobs, outsource services to local businesses and inject £31 million into the Wiltshire economy per year. The benefits will be targeted locally, and because of the training facility that we are offering people from all over the country will be using facilities like hotels, restaurants, taxis and local shops”.
“I’m aware that some local residents don’t support our plans. Others are 100% behind us. More than 1,150 people have petitioned in favour of the scheme and thousands have joined a Facebook page. Our supporters tell us that Chippenham desperately needs fresh investment. We are a successful British business that will create fresh opportunities and make Chippenham a more prosperous place.”
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