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NE Derbyshire District Council gave planning permission back in 2021 for the extension at the Magnavale cold storage facility on Park Road, at Holmewood, off Junction 29 of the M1.

However, District Cllr Suzy Cornwell, for Holmewood and Heath, told a Full Council meeting that Holmewood residents’ lives have been made a misery and she asked whether anything could be done to prevent residents having to endure any further noise and disruption.

Cllr Cornwell said: “On behalf of the residents of Holmewood, I am really frustrated and disappointed that a giant freezer the size of a football pitch has been allowed to be built metres from residents’ homes.

Cold Storage Provider Magnavale'S Holmewood Facility, In Chesterfield, Is Undergoing A Major Extension

“It had no conditions on the build phase and it had no site visit. The result of this has made residents’ lives a misery.”

Magnavale, one of the UK’s leading providers of temperature-controlled storage, started work on the extension at the site in 2023 and it is expected to be completed in 2024.

The company has had excavation work completed and the extension’s concrete foundations have been poured and work has been focussing on the steelwork construction of the cold store, according to the Chesterfield Borough Council-backed Destination Chesterfield partnership which promotes business in the region.

NE Derbyshire District Cllr Stephen Pickering, Cabinet member for Environment and Place, told Cllr Cornwell: “From the information you have had I can understand how disheartening and what a terrible set of circumstances there are for the people in Holmewood.

“Unfortunately, I have to say we cannot turn the clock back on planning decisions. This decision was made nearly three years ago and it’s extremely difficult going forward to change this.”

Cllr Cornwell added: “Whilst the jobs this unit creates are welcome, when granting that application the council failed to include appropriate planning conditions limiting the hours of work during the construction phase of the development.

“As a result building work has been taking place at all times of the day, including the early hours of the morning, continuing until 4am recently.”

A Magnavale Chesterfield spokesperson has issued ‘sincere apologies’ in a statement on the company’s website for any inconvenience caused.

Councillor claims Chesterfield facility’s extension work has made villagers’ lives a ‘misery’