Jobs boost thanks to office plan

Up to 150 new jobs could be created at a new office development in Cannock after councillors gave their thumbs up to the plans.

Waste company Veolia Environmental Services plan to relocate 300 staff.

They will move from its two sites in the West Midlands to the purpose-built office building on Kingswood Lakeside in Norton Canes with hopes of creating 150 more jobs through future expansion.

The building is being built by developer Opus Land who have now been granted planning permission by councillors.

The development will see the construction of a three storey purpose-built building with car parking, access and landscaping.

To the front of the building will be a car park which can accommodate 259 cars including parking for disabled drivers and parking for bicycles and motorcycles.

Immediately beside the car park and the main access through the site, a further overflow car park is proposed with a similar capacity.

The proposed access off the roundabout junction on Blakeney Way allows for the two separate accesses.

The plans drew objections from a resident living to the south of the site across the A5 who claimed the development would visually intrude on houses facing the site.

Great Wyrley Parish Council also requested a landscaping scheme to be included to protect residents of the village from visual impact.

One of the key concerns was a fear of light pollution from the building at night which would not be subject to any restrictions.

But Craig Alsbury, spokesman for the developer, said the building would be partly concealed.

Planning councillors unanimously voted in favour of the plans.