Just the job

Five hundred extra jobs could be created in Bingham if plans to build an employment park on the outskirts of the town receive the go ahead.

The Crown Estate is preparing to submit a planning application for the 37-hectare site between Chapel Way and the A46, opposite Bingham Industrial Estate, in the next couple of months.

It was granted outline permission by Rushcliffe Borough Council in 2006.

A spokesman for the Crown Estate, Mr Al Hanagan, said if the application was successful, it was hoped the land could be used for a range of work including storage, distribution and office space.

He expected major companies would occupy the two large state-of-the-art buildings planned for the site.

Mr Hanagan said although it would not be used as a national distribution centre because it is not close enough to a motorway, it would probably serve the East Midlands.

The specialist building company, Gazeley Ltd, has been chosen to carry out the work and is preparing the application.

A private meeting was held between the Crown Estate and members of Bingham Town Council on Thursday to discuss the application.

Mr Hanagan said it was an opportunity for them to discuss the application with the councillors, who will comment on it when it is submitted.

He said: “It went very well. I think the councillors liked being brought into the frame early.

“We told them it was moving forward and that a planning application was being prepared.”

The Crown Estate also wants to open up five hectares of land for light industry and offices on a site off Moorbridge Road, next to the industrial estate.

Mr Hanagan said the application was in its initial stages so he had little information available, but he expected there would be several small units on this site.