OUTLINE PLANNING GRANTED FOR 4.25m sq ft DEVELOPMENT

Associated British Ports (ABP) has been granted outline planning consent to build more than 4.25 million sq ft of industrial, manufacturing and logistics buildings at the Port of Hull despite receiving 800 objections.

The 453 acres of land includes 212 acres located within the East Hull Humber Freeport tax assisted zone, which offers tax incentives for inward investors.

There will also be space retail, business, hotel, assembly, and leisure and other ancillary uses.

Part of the site could also be used for a park-and-ride, as well as a potential rail link to the port.

Simon Bird, regional director for the Humber, inset, said: “This is one of the premier development sites in the North of England. It’s an exciting opportunity and great to have planning permission so that HIEP (Humber International Enterprise Park) can now get up and running.“The site offers huge potential to support business growth. Port-centric manufacturers and distributors would have easy access to import and export commodities while benefiting from the Humber Freeport status.”

The site is part of a tranche of more than 1,000 acres of development land across 14 locations, which ABP has launched to support the UK’s supply chain, manufacturing, and renewable energy sectors.

The council’s planning committee voted in favour of the scheme at a meeting last year and the decision to approve has now been issueD.

CBRE and Savills are advising ABP on the development opportunities at HIEP.

The planning application was also supported by The Harris Partnership, Montagu Evans, Systra, Aecom and Considine.

Permission has also been granted for a new spine road running between Hedon Road and Paull Road.

Councillors voted five-to-one in favour of approval despite receiving 800 letters objecting to the scheme.

The planning officer’s official report acknowledged that the scheme could cause potential “adverse effects on the living conditions” of nearby residents, but added that the “reasoning for allowing this application has been clearly and convincingly justified, and the substantial public benefits established”.