Massive warehouse to be built despite opposition

A massive warehouse will be built in a town despite fears from those living nearby that their homes will be "dominated by shadow".

Gompels Healthcare won planning approval from Wiltshire Council last month for the 245,000 sq ft warehouse on land to the east of Melksham but the local authority decided to pass the matter to the Secretary of State for a final decision due to the scale of the project.

The council was told in a letter that Secretary of State Steve Reed was "content that it should be determined by the local planning authority".

The application was opposed by some, including several who live 98.4ft (30m) from the site, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"The impact on our homes will be significant and unavoidable," one said.

"Our gardens and living spaces will be dominated by shadow."

Gompels had warned the local authority it would move to Coventry - with the loss of nearly 200 jobs - if planning permission was denied.

The firm began with a single pharmacy in Melksham in 1967 and it has since evolved into a £168m business which employs 196 people, most of whom are from Melksham.

The family-run wholesaler said the new warehouse would free up the existing Gompels site on Swift Way.

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