Plans to extend Egger plant in Hexham

Jul 3 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

COUNCILLORS are being asked to back controversial plans to expand a Northumberland town’s biggest employer.

Northumberland County Council is advising members grant conditional permission for an extension to Egger UK Ltd, a chipboard manufacturing company based on the outskirts of Hexham, subject to government agreement.

The company is seeking planning permission for the construction of a new 28,000 square metre processing facility on 6.8 hectres of land to the east of the plant.

The firm, based at Grange Road, Anick, is also seeking ancillary office accommodation, 42 additional car parking spaces and landscaping. It says the development would allow it to employ an additional 45 permanent staff over the next three years and create between 100 and 150 indirect jobs.

The application has been subject to two consultation exercises following amendments made after the first.

Objections have been submitted by Sandhoe Parish Council on the basis that the site is green belt land, and reserved for future economic development.

The parish has also raised concerns over the low number of jobs generated, the road infrastructure proposed being inadequate, noise and visual impact.

The county council also received 12 letters of objection from members of the public on the initial application, two of which are from groups of residents from Hexham, Anick, Oakwood and Sandhoe.