Warehouse allowed to extend its hours

JD Williams in Shaw. Planning application to extend hours of the Lilac Mill distribution centre. PIC shows Briar Mill and delivery vehicles.

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A WAREHOUSE in Shaw has been granted permission to lengthen its opening hours, despite protests from residents and councillors.

JD Williams, at Lilac Mill, off Beal Lane, operates for 18 hours per day, although the timing of their vehicle movements is restricted during this period.

At the moment, operating times are 6am to 10pm Monday to Friday and 6am to 4pm on weekends and public holidays.

However, the applicant asked to amend conditions on the original application for it to open at 5.30am on Mondays, stay open for an extra two-and-a-half hours on Friday evenings and an extra seven hours at weekends and on public holidays.

JD Williams said extending the hours would let it offer a next-day delivery service and allow for orders to be processed over the weekend to be delivered by Monday.

All this, it said, would make it more competitive. When asked if this would increase vehicle movement and pollution, JD logistics director Ian Carr said it would allow the company to spread out the movements of the HGVs, rather than increase them.

He told the planning committee last night: "We try to be good neighbours to residents. We have won awards and we pick up one next week from Transport for Greater Manchester on our green travel plan.

"This would allow us to move our HGV movements from peak times to non peak times which would mean less congestion and less queues."

The highways officer believed there would be no adverse impact on traffic.

Four letters of objection were sent to Oldham Council, including one from Councillor Chris Gloster in Shaw, who said residents regularly complained about noise from the distribution centre, especially in the evenings.

Councillor Gloster also pointed out that JD's competitors Littlewoods and Yodel also do next-day deliveries but take in orders before 9pm. Yodel did not start until 8am, so a 5.30am start at JD would not be characteristic of operations in the area.

The councillor said HGV traffic on Beal Lane causes gridlock in Shaw centre and extended opening hours would add to this.

Ian Schofield, who lives less than 100 metres away, said the later opening times would disturb people's sleeping patterns.

He said: "It's affecting my mental health. I'm anxious all the time for my future. Think about people who live next to this. Put residents' health and quality of life before shareholders' dividends, senior managers' bonuses and consumer demands."

Councillor Rod Blyth said the initial plans for the distribution centre had been approved with the restricted opening times. He asked if the company became more successful, what would stop it from sending out more lorries during the day and night.

He said: "People need quality of life. We're intruding on their quality of life all the time. We're adding to problems, not taking them away."

But Mr Carr insisted this would not happen and the change in hours would only mean spreading out the use of the lorries throughout the day.

Councillor John McCann said: "I can understand half an hour or one hour extended opening time, but four-and-a-half hours is excessive. It's known as taking the Michael."

Councillor Steve Bashforth added: "The location is unfortunate. It's at the bottom of the valley. The way the sound travels depends on which way the wind blows.

"This is one I would like to refuse. However, if we do that, this would go to appeal and any conditions we put on them would be taken away. They are a successful company. I just feel they are in the wrong place but we can't so anything about it.

"I fully support my Shaw colleagues and wish I could have gone against it."

Councillors approved the application, with three voting against, subject to conditions that there should be more acoustic fencing and no beeping at sensitive times to minimise noise.