Warehouse plan for M25 'grey belt' land approved

A 11,500 sq m warehouse is set to be built on "grey belt" land after councillors voted to grant outline permission for the plan.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the warehouse site, next to South Mimms services at junction 23 of the M25 in Hertfordshire, is expected to employ about 170 people once complete.

The site is within the green belt and is occupied by a home and outbuildings, but planning officers deemed it would likely be classed as "grey belt" if the government's proposed reforms come into effect.

Hertsmere Borough Council's planning committee unanimously voted to approve the application.

Although the area is designated for use by developments related to the road and motorway network, council officers judged that breaking from that policy was "not likely to result in any significant harm".

Committee chair Christian Gray said the site "probably would have been built out long ago" if National Highways had not had a "monopoly" on it.

Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership supported the application, which the applicant said could add £7.2m per year to the county’s economy and generate almost £750,000 in annual business rates.

Gareth Pritchard, speaking on behalf of the applicant, told councillors the site was one of the "worst performing pieces of green belt in Hertsmere".

He described the site – which is owned by Railpen, a pension fund – as "incredibly attractive" for potential occupiers and said it would provide "many other jobs" along the supply chain.

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