Plan for first building at Worksop employment hub that could generate 4,000 jobs

The hub has been pencilled in for a plot of agricultural land, spanning 292 acres (118 hectares) at the Apleyhead junction of the A1, to the east of the town and north of the A57.

The company behind the project, property developer Caddick Developments, of Wetherby, Yorkshire, says it would “meet growing demand for sophisticated logistics space and advanced manufacturing facilities”.

Now a planning application has been submitted to Bassetlaw District Council for the first building on the site, a logistics and distribution centre complete with ancillary offices and buildings, access, landscaping and other infrastructure work.

In a planning statement, Caddick’s agents, Stantec UK Ltd, of Leeds, say: “This planning application is the next critical step in delivering the site for a range of uses and a step-change in economic growth.

“It would deliver the first building within the site, along with the necessary infrastructure to enable that building and to unlock the remainder of the site.

"The development is being brought forward in direct response to a specific major company which is firmly committed to the site and requires the building for occupation by late 2027."

The project was first announced three years ago, since when it has been revised and Caddick has undertaken a community consultation to discuss the details with local residents and businesses.

A consultation event was held at Manton Sports and Social Club in September when all those interested could have a look at the proposals and speak directly with the project team.

Ian Laight, projects director at Caddick, said: “Apleyhead is the largest allocated employment site within the recently adopted Bassetlaw Local Plan.

"Its scale and strategic location make it ideally suited for logistics, distribution and related uses. Our proposed development would provide thousands of new jobs and act as a catalyst for significant economic growth and prosperity in the Worksop area.”

The application also features a request for outline permission for the rest of the site, which would include warehouses and offices connected to storage and distribution uses.

Bassetlaw Council’s planning officers are now poring over the application and have set a deadline date of February 28 for a decision or recommendation.