Two local firms are in talks to move into the final warehouse being built on a major business park in Stoke-on-Trent.

Plans for the 72,000sqft unit on vacant land at the northern end of Etruria Valley, next to the Trent and Mersey Canal, have now been approved by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Applicant Stoke-on-Trent Regeneration Ltd is building the warehouse as a 'speculative' scheme, with its end user yet to be confirmed. But planning committee members were told that discussions were currently taking place with potential occupants.

The warehouse will be the final phase of the St Modwen Park Stoke Central business park, with other recently built units now occupied by the likes of Overclockers UK and National Veterinary Services. Mark Dauncey, an agent for Stoke-on-Trent Regeneration, told the planning committee that the new unit would continue this success.

He said: "This application is the final phase of a significant regeneration project that's been going on for several years. My client has invested over £65 million on the regeneration of the area, including the delivery of essential new infrastructure. This has helped unlock the potential of the area and bring forward economic investment and high quality jobs.

"The application under consideration today will currently in discussions with two local businesses interested in occupying the development."

The council sold its share of Stoke-on-Trent Regeneration for £5 million last month (Nub News).

The plans include a service yard capable of accommodating up to 19 lorries, along with a 70-space car park. Access to the warehouse would be through an extension to the existing Newport Lane Link, which connects to the A500 via the Etruria Valley Link Road.

Mr Dauncey said that the traffic generated by the new unit would have a 'negligible impact' on the road network.

Committee member Ross Irving, while saying he was 'fully supportive' of the plans, raised concerns over the current congestion in the area caused by Wolstanton Retail Park.

He said: "My only concern, and I think it will only get worse, is the traffic flows coming onto the junction off the A500. I notice that during busy trading periods, because of the volume of traffic requiring access to the retail park there are considerable tailbacks on the A500.

"At some point we need to look at how that junction can be relieved of the traffic flows, because the only way people can get to Etruria Valley from the south is by using that junction. But that is nothing really to do with this application, which I fully support."

Planning committee members voted unanimously to approve the warehouse plans.

Stoke-on-Trent Regeneration was formerly a joint venture between St Modwen and the city council. But the company is now fully owned by St Modwen after the council sold its share for £5 million last month.

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