Richborough wins ‘landmark’ appeal over M42 industrial park
Government planning inspectors have given the go-ahead to an industrial and logistics development earmarked for 48 acres of land north east of Birmingham.
Richborough Commercial submitted outline plans for the 700,000 sq ft project in June 2024, but took the decision away from North Warwickshire District Council 18 months later, referring the case to the Planning Inspectorate following what the firm described as “an extended period without any meaningful progress”.
The decision marks the first major industrial and logistics development allowed on Grey Belt at appeal following publication of the new NPPF in August 2026.
In its appeal submission, North Warwickshire said it would have refused the application on the grounds of inappropriate development in the Green Belt, giving substantial weight to what it described as “spatial and visual harm” inflicted by the proposals.
The authority said the site played a “strong” role in checking urban sprawl, contributing heavily to its Green Belt designation.
But planning inspector, Richard Aston, afforded only moderate weight to those claims – adding that the site does not appear to have a “strategic role” in the functioning of the Green Belt.
“National policy, which the Local Plan requires adherence to for Green Belt matters indicates the site should therefore be regarded as ‘Grey Belt’ land and it would not amount to inappropriate development within the Green Belt,” he wrote.
“North Warwickshire’s established role within the logistics Golden Triangle is a key economic strength that helps to address persistent unemployment and pockets of deprivation in the Borough. The area continues to experience socio-economic challenges and faces significant future population growth, requiring increased rates of job creation.
“Against this background, this proposal would support the implementation of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy 2025.”
Illustrative proposals submitted with the scheme show six large warehouse units built south of Junction 9 of the M42 motorway, with an open western parcel of land included in the scheme to provide habitat creation towards the development’s Biodiversity Net Gain targets.
A total of three strategic “Big Box” units in excess of 100,000 sq ft and three “Mid Box” units of between 50,000 sq ft and 85,000 sq ft were included in the indicative drawings.
Matt Dugdale, Planning Director at Richborough Commercial, described the appeal result as a “landmark planning decision for the whole industrial and logistics sector”.
“It demonstrates the significance of the new NPPF for major freight and logistics development, with the Inspector finding the site to be Grey Belt and recognising an immediate need for new employment land,” he said.
“It also sends a clear message to local planning authorities about the importance of identifying and allocating well-connected sites through their local plans to meet future employment needs. While every site will turn on its own circumstances, the decision gives us real confidence in the potential for the new policy framework to support a number of other strategically located employment sites across our portfolio.”
Plans and documents relating to the application and subsequent appeal can be found on North Warwickshire’s planning portal using reference: PAP/2024/0297
