Expansion plans at March Cold Stores in Marwick Road could see creation of 15 new jobs

Plans to expand an existing cold store in March could see the creation of 15 new jobs according to a statement submitted with the application.

Trundley Design Services have written the statement on behalf of March Cold Stores Ltd in Marwick Road, which is looking to expand its facilities and has submitted an application for planning permission to Fenland District Council.

It explains March Cold Stores are part of Savage Haulage Ltd, specialists in refrigerated haulage operating locally and nationally. The statement says demand for their specialist service has grown and they have branched out into Europe.

The existing site located at March is the firm’s main cold store facility within the UK and has an overall capacity of 6,200 pallets in three separate buildings.

The extension will see the gross internal floorspace almost double. Currently there is 4,480sq metres and the expansion will provide an extra 4,451 sq metres.

It says the company has looked at the potential expansion of the site and has determined it will provide long-term sustainability.

The current site requires a significant refurbishment programme to the existing buildings due to panel type and refrigeration plant efficiencies and the statement points out this cannot happen unless the new building is constructed. The pallet storage will be housed within the new facility giving the opportunity to then refurbish the current buildings.

It adds: “This will then give the site the potential growth required to deliver a truly sustainable site for the company.

“It must be recognised that the site operation represents a very important facility within the local economy employing in excess of 70 direct staff, with further ancillary employment for maintenance and operation of the site.”

It concludes the expansion is unlikely to have any undue noise impact on the area and says: “The proposal to construct the new facilities has been undertaken to ensure that this development does not result in pollution and visual or physical intrusion in the environment.

“The design of the buildings and the landscaping proposed will help ameliorate the impacts of this development and assimilate the extensions into the landscape.

Furthermore, the careful use of lighting should reduce the impact of this development which is situated on the edge of open countryside.

“Finally, as advised the economic impacts/benefits of this facility must be recognised. These are not just the 70 persons employed directly by the facility, but also all the farms and associated businesses which service this site. The proposal to construct the new facility will ensure that these jobs are safeguarded and result in a modern facility which meets the needs of its customers, whilst also ensuring that the visual of the area are not compromised.”