Decision on £48 million scheme that could deliver 1,200 new jobs expected this week

Stafford Borough Council's planning committee is being recommended at a virtual meeting on Wednesday to approve plans to construct a giant storage and distribution base for Pets at Home on land off the A34, north of Redhill Business Park in Stafford.

Stoford Developmenta would finance and construct the 670,000 sq ft development which includes office and parking spaces.

There is also space for an additional 100,000 sq ft of expansion if it is required in the future.

The scheme on the 52-acre site would involve more than 600 car parking spaces.

A document submitted to the council on behalf of the applicant says: "As an allocated employment site identified within the local plan, and forming part of a strategic development location, this site is one of Stafford principle locations for employment development.

"In recent months, the borough has seen other parts of the SDL come forwards, for residential use to the east of the A34.

Expansion

"Providing local job and investment to balance that growth is now timely.

"With a national occupier in the form of Pets at Home, a modern, quality building can be delivered, with occupation as early as July 2022.

"There is an absence of large, deliverable sites that are readily available, and with limited constraints like Stafford North Business Park, and equally an absence of premises that meet the occupier requirements and their potential expansion plans."

Stoford Developments' plans include a new roundabout on the A34 Stone Road and a development access road.

Pets at Home has signed a 20-year conditional agreement for lease on the development.

The proposal forms phase two of Redhill Business Park, which was developed following an £11 million investment by Staffordshire County Council. Occupiers include Iron Mountain, GE Grid Solutions, Screwfix, Culina, Saint Gobain and OMICRON.

Stoford has a successful track record of major development and regeneration projects spanning industrial and distribution warehousing sites, production plants and business parks, offices, retail schemes and hotels. The award-winning developer has completed commercial developments of more than 14 million sq ft with a value of more than £1 billion.