Flooding risk highlighted for Melton warehouse plans

Hallmark Consumer Services wants to build a new single storey industrial shed and link it to an existing warehouse at its site on Green Bank, off Saxby Road.

Members of Melton Borough Council’s planning committee are set to consider a planning application for the development on Thursday evening.

Councillors will be advised to refuse permission following an objection lodged by the Environment Agency, which flags up concerns that the business is sited in a flood zone close to Thorpe Brook and that the existence of the new building would increase the risk of flooding.

A report from council officials, which is to go before the committee, recognises there would be significant benefits to the local economy and a boost to jobs market from the company expanding but that this is outweighed by the potential flooding issues.

Hallmark states in its application that there are mitigating features in the proposed new warehouse, which would follow the demolition and removal of existing outbuildings containing mechanical and electrical plant machinery.

It proposes to build the structure on a series of stilts raising the building up by 1.5metres,which would leaving a permanent void underneath.

This would bring the new building up to the same height as the existing warehouse, with a brick plinth being built around to prevent the stilts and void from being visible.

The Environment Agency notes this mitigating feature in its objection but states that debris can still accumulate on stilts and increase local flood risk.

Family-run Hallmark was launched 30 years ago and it proposes to extend its site to enable it to keep with increasing orders from customers for its services to help other businesses expand what they do.

It currently employs 75 people, with this number rising to 120 during the Christmas period.

The proposed new development would generate 10 additional jobs in the first year and 20 inside five years.

County highways have no objections to new traffic using the planned new warehouse, which cover an area of nearly three hectares.