420 new jobs if major logistics park expansion plan is approved says developer

Lee Garrett
·3-min read
Artist's impression of second DSV warehouse at Mercia Park
-Credit: (Image: IM Properties)


Hundreds of jobs could be created if a major Leicestershire logistics park’s expansion is approved. The developer insists the site is in an “excellent location”, but residents have voiced concerns over the plan.

IM Properties wants to create a 600,000 sq ft building at Mercia Park, in Appleby Magna, south of Ashby. The building would be sited on land between the A444 and Junction 11 of the M42, opposite an existing 3.5 million sq ft logistics park, which is home to the likes of Jaguar Land Rover and global transport and logistics firm DSV. It would become DSV’s second building at Mercia Park.

Scoping plans for the proposed new building emerged in April. Residents have previously said the logistics park had "never been welcome” and a potential expansion could leave the area permanently “gridlocked”.

READ MORE: 'We are not corrupt' says council after 'shocking' planning decision

IM Properties said it believed the new site could enhance DSV’s “continued growth”. The company employs nearly 400 people at its existing “state-of-the-art” Mercia Park building, while the logistics park as a whole has 2,300 workers across its DSV, Jaguar Land Rover and Unipart sites.

The developer said the current DSV building was “high quality” and had “accessible green infrastructure” in the form of woodlands and wildflower meadows to limit its environmental impact. That would be mirrored at the second site, which could create 420 new jobs for the area, it added.

Overhead view of proposed land set for development at Mercia Park
Developers claim the proposed expansion would 'capitalise' on Mercia Park's existing links -Credit:Google

However, concerns run deep in the area over the proposal. Oakthorpe and Donisthorpe Parish Council has previously said the expansion would add to existing “massive traffic issues” on the M42. Fears about the Appleby Magna Interchange roundabout, which serves Mercia Park, have also been raised. Some residents have also questioned the need for the expansion. IM Properties said it would work with the community to alleviate fears.

Matt Fox, planning director at IM Properties, said: “Our proposals for expansion will build upon the success of Mercia Park, underpinned by high standards of building design, extensive landscaping including biodiversity enhancement as well as accessible green space and measures to reduce visual impact.

“Working with DSV we will continue to promote sustainable travel and carefully manage traffic from the development in the local area, as well as ensure the site offers benefits to local communities as well as the people working at Mercia Park.”

Consultations on the proposal are being held at two drop-in events next week. IM Properties and DSV said the community’s feedback would help shape the plan going forward.

The events are taking place at:

  • Measham Leisure Centre, Measham (Wednesday, June 26 - 4pm to 8pm)

  • Sir John Moore Primary School, Appleby Magna (Saturday, June 29 - 10am to 2pm)

Surinder Dubro, executive vice president, solutions, UK, Ireland and Nordics at Mercia Park, said he believed the expansion was needed. He said: “Mercia Park is an excellent location which has allowed us to develop a highly skilled workforce and deliver excellent customer service, all within a sustainable and low carbon environment. Expanding our operations with a new building is an important opportunity to our expansion in the UK, creating a range of new roles for local people.”

A formal planning application will be submitted to North West Leicestershire District Council later this year. The council will then decide at a later date.

We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • Huge wind farm electricity transformer transported from Port of Ipswich to Bramford

    An electricity transformer to convert offshore wind energy for one million homes has been transported from the Port of Ipswich to Bramford, Suffolk.

  • Bornean elephant assessed as endangered in new threatened species list

    An update to the IUCN Red List of threatened species also warns of a threat to lizards from invasive snakes and impacts of illegal cactus trade.

  • Looking for an outdoor swim spot? 'Rare' Oxfordshire lake for sale for £100,000

    Duke’s Lake, three miles from Oxford station, is part of a 30.83 acre plot which also contains agricultural land

  • Scientists want to pump carbon into a hole at the bottom of the ocean in a $60 million pilot project to help stop climate change

    Offshore drilling could help fight climate change in the future. Instead of extracting oil from the sea floor, scientists want to trap carbon there.

  • Panda express: First pair to enter the United States in 21 years takes off from China

    Two giant pandas are en route to San Diego Zoo from China, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTVon Thursday.

  • Damage to protected chalk stream left unchecked by Natural England for 11 years

    Damage to a protected chalk stream has gone unchecked by Natural England for more than a decade, according to new analysis.

  • What Does It Take to Bring Stability to a Renewable-Focused Grid?

    As coal, gas, and nuclear plants are retired, and wind and solar resources are added to the power grid, stability can become a problem. Understanding the solutions that are available […]

  • Marwell Zoo announce death of 'lovable, goofy and cheeky' Amur tiger

    Marwell Zoo has announced the death of one of its biggest characters, endangered male Amur tiger Bagai.

  • Entrepreneur makes waves on the horticultural scene

    AT JUST 21 years old, Kendalian entrepreneur Dan Stearne is making waves on the local horticultural scene with his sustainable plant-growing venture, Dan's Plants.

  • Families 'had no water all night' after burst main on Swindon estate

    Families with babies say they were left without water overnight after a burst main on their estate.

  • Australian Reptile Park Welcomes New Generation Of Adorable Koala Joeys

    The Australian Reptile Park is celebrating the arrival of five adorable koala joeys. In recent weeks, the Mammals team at the park has noticed tiny hands, feet, and fluffy little ears popping out of the pouches. Soon enough, the cute joeys began poking their heads out to take in their surroundings. One brave joey fully emerged, marking the first complete joey sighting of the season. Keepers have named this 6-month-old male joey “Pedro”. With five joeys confirmed so far, there is potential for a few more, as some females paired later in the season are showing signs of growing pouches. This could lead to a record season once final numbers are confirmed in a few months. Proud to be an active supporter of wildlife conservation, the Australian Reptile Park continues to breed their koalas to help boost population numbers for the endangered species and educate Australians about koalas. The wildlife park, located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, also hopes this heightened awareness helps protect the species from extinction.

  • Inside the Right-Wing Campaign to End Protections for Endangered Species

    Leonard Leo’s dark money hubs have funneled over $2 million to climate denial groups working to gut the Endangered Species Act

  • A Bosnian dam pits green energy vs. preservation

    STORY: The emerald-green waters of the Neretva River run through a steep gorge high in the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina.The waters are home to fish and plant life, and draw white-water rafters eager to ride the currents.But upstream, construction crews are working on a hydro-electric power dam that the regional government commissioned as part of a move away from fossil fuels.And the development has pitted preservationists against the plan."When I learned about these constructions that are now planned, I think not only for the local economy but also from a perspective of biodiversity, I think this is really a bad move and will have, will cause a lot of harm."Bjorn Bracke is a tourist, activist, and water recreation expert from Belgium. He's worried the dam will affect water levels and marine habitats."We have a lot of restoration projects in France and Belgium that we are working on to remove all these types of obstructions, for instance, the sites for trouts, to go and reproduce and come back, so this continuity, this water level, this is super important to keep all these habitats and I think that we made all these mistakes in the past and we are now trying to learn and do these restorations, and what we see now happening here, we are going back in the time.“Bosnia, which gets 40% of its electricity from hydropower and the rest from coal-fired plants, is one of the few nations in the region with enough capacity to export power.The plant operator that won the contract to build the dam told Reuters it had taken steps to protect the environment throughout the project, which was due to be operational by the end of the year.And the regional government's ministry for construction and ecology said the site of the plant has already been shifted once in response to geological risks in the area prone to landslides.The statements have not reassured the activists and many people who have built their lives and livelihoods around the river and the tourism it brings.Environmental activist Lejla Kusturica said these rafters could be the last ones to ride the rapids.“This is the emerald zone, which should be protected. However, due to the operation of the hydroelectric power plant, all flora and fauna life is jeopardised. Softmouth trout, Adriatic trout, marble trout - all are threatened with extinction. In economic terms, people make a living from rafting. However, there is a danger that the Neretva River will be completely changed and then we might not know rafting like this anymore.”

  • Microgrids Take Major Role for Reliability, Resiliency

    An array of technologies, both thermal and renewable, are being used in the design of microgrids, supporting distributed power generation across several sectors. The use of microgrids to provide reliable […]

  • The POWER Interview: Solving the Challenges Facing the Grid

    The power generation industry continues to grapple with a multitude of challenges when it comes to producing more electricity, and to ensure that power is delivered where and when it […]

  • Tesla recalls Cybertrucks, adding to quality doubts

    STORY: Tesla faces new worries over the quality of its Cybertrucks. The firm has recalled more than 11,000 of the electric pickups in the U.S.That’s over issues with windshield wipers and loose trim. Analysts say it’s no big surprise about the wipers, which have long been identified as a problem. The Cybertruck’s unusual design forced Tesla to fit huge blades - putting a bigger strain on the motors that move them. Now the problems feed into a perception of wider issues with the vehicles. One analyst told Reuters that the overall build quality of the Cybertruck was “quite poor”. Tesla began delivering the Blade Runner-inspired pickup in late 2023, after years of delay. It’s meant to answer critics who say the firm lacks new models. Mass production is expected to begin in 2025, and Musk has said the target is 200,000 units per year. Tesla hasn’t revealed how many it has shipped so far, however, and skeptics say it may lack mass-market appeal. While recalls of new car models aren’t unusual, it’s relatively rare for Tesla, which often solves problems with over-the-air software updates. It also looks sure to raise unwelcome new questions for the Cybertruck.

  • A signature Biden law aimed to boost renewable energy. It also helped a solar company reap billions

    As he campaigned for the presidency, Joe Biden promised to spend billions of dollars to “save the world” from climate change. After he won, the company spent $2.8 million more lobbying his administration and Congress, records show — an effort that included high-level meetings with top administration officials.

  • ‘Whack-a-mole situation’: Algerian officials wrestle with water shortage anger

    State not acting fast enough to build desalination stations to deal with dwindling rainfall and resulting drought, say critics

  • Danish livestock farmers to be taxed for cow and pig-made greenhouse gases

    The Scandinavian country pitched a 'flatulence tax' scheme, which was met with industry-wide support and is expected to be carried by the national parliament.

  • Nervy Investors Rip Up ESG Playbooks in Election Supercycle

    (Bloomberg) -- An anti-green backlash in 2024’s global election-supercycle is already taking a toll on environmental, social and governance-focused assets, with an ultimate test still to come in the US presidential vote.Most Read from BloombergSupreme Court Poised to Allow Emergency Abortions in IdahoBolivia’s President Arce Swears in New Army Chief After Coup BidChina’s Finance Elite Face $400,000 Pay Cap, Bonus ClawbacksFedEx Stokes Investors With Hint of a Freight DealYouTuber Dr Disrespect W