‘What are they going to put in these buildings?’

VILLAGES ‘SCARED’ BY PLANS FOR INDUSTRIAL UNITS ON GREEN BELT

- By JOEL MOORE

VILLAGERS say they are scared by plans to turn nearby fields into distribution units.

Developer Harworth is putting together plans for a huge business and logistics park on farmland and the former Bennerley coal disposal point to the west of Awsworth.

The company is planning to turn 61 hectares - part of which is currently protected due to its green belt status - into 1.3 million square feet of large and small industrial and distribution units.

These new units, which are planned to run along Shilo Way up to the A610 opposite Giltbrook retail park, would create 1,000 full-time equivalent jobs, the developer says.

The plans also include a new country park near Bennerley Viaduct and the Erewash Valley railway line.

While the area's plan requires land to be released from the green belt, some of it would be protected as part of this park, which would have wetland habitats and flood plain.