DX Freight super-hub for Essington: Scores of residents protest controversial plans

There were chants of 'save our village' as cars drove past beeping their horns in solidarity as protesters took to the streets.

The protest was being held ahead of tomorrow evening's planning meeting when South Staffordshire councillors will decide on whether to approve the highly controversial plans.

DX Freight want to leave their two premises in Willenhall and form a £35 million distribution centre in Essington. The Group intends to have its new base open by next summer, much to the dismay of the residents.

They are concerned about the huge extra volume of traffic that will descend on the village and the inability of the narrow roads to cope.

Speaking to the Express & Star at Saturday's protest, Mr Williamson said: "What we have is a community united against this proposed development. The road infrastructure can't cope, the community do not want it and it is such an intrusion into the green belt and it will destroy the identity of the village.

"I just think they have got it wrong. They haven't looked at the issues closely enough and they need to actually listen to the local voices, they need to look at their own policies that they put in place and adhere to those and actually say no to this development. I cannot understand the logic as to why they are recommending councillors to say yes to it.

"I haven't spoken to a single person in Essington who says they are in favour of it. They are all incredibly concerned, it is not just about the HGVs it is about the delivery vans that will also be involved in the depot.. This is not just about Essington, this is also the impact it will have on Featherstone, Great Wryley, Cheslyn Hay, Shareshill and many other villages around it.

Resident Jamie Harper, who organised Saturday's protest and lives next to the proposed site, added: "This development would change our lives forever. It will change the way we run our lives, the noise pollution, light pollution.

He added: "We have got four small children, what about their safety? Planners would not let me extend my house the way I wanted to into green belt so you can't have one rule for one and one for another. That's just my opinion. It could go either way on Tuesday but we are confident."

The DX Group want to build a 44-acre site on Hobnock Road. The plans under consideration tomorrow are a scaled down version of the ones submitted in August 2015. They have reduced the size of the site and also the number of vehicles set to take to the roads.

But this has not been enough to satisfy residents.