Behold a giant

A giant new warehouse in Stafford the size of seven football pitches has been let to DIY suppliers Screwfix.

The massive 545,570 sq ft (12 acres) building at Primepoint 14, near to Junction 14 of the M6, at Creswell was completed in June. It will bring hundreds of new jobs to the town.

The project attracted controversy when it was first proposed by Blackbrook Valley Developments because it would have stood 50ft high.

The height of the Crossflow 540 building was eventually reduced to just two storeys by Prologis Developments who bought the 60-acre site in October 2004.

Prologis spokeswoman Debbie Munro said an announcement was due to be made today about Yeovil-based Screwfix's plans for the warehouse and the number of jobs to be created. The sale was completed last week.

Screwfix Direct is the UK's largest direct and on-line supplier of trade tools, accessories and hardware products. Two other warehouses measuring 127,000 sq ft and 70,000 sq ft are also being built by Solihull-based Prologis at the Prologis Park site in Stafford.

But there is concern from Councillor Peter Goodland, who represents the Tillington ward, that Crossflow 540 will add to problems being experienced by residents living near the new developments in the area. Councillor Goodland said that homes on the opposite side of the A34 at Trinity Fields already experienced light pollution at night from the Iron Mountain and Culina storage operations at Primepoint 14.

"Light pollution from there also goes as far as Creswell and Seighford. I and my ward colleague Councillor Adam Tedstone are doing everything we can to bring about a reduction in the amount of light," he added.

Councillor Goodland said that the Culina site already had lorries coming and going 24 hours a day. "I am worried that when the new warehouse opens it will add considerably to the number of lorries in the area. There is already a problem with them using local lay-bys to park up over night."

But resident and parish councillor Richard Thomas said as long as the light problem was resolved, locals would welcome the new jobs.

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