Neighbours living in the ‘warehouse capital of Britain’ have spoken of the nightmare of being forced to live next to what they say is like the ‘Berlin Wall’.
Northamptonshire has more storage and distribution centres than anywhere else in the country, with massive developments ‘constantly’ popping up.
But homeowners in Corby have had enough and say their lives have been ruined by the huge warehouses towering over their homes.
They compare it to living next to the ‘ Berlin Wall’ or a ‘prison camp’.
The town is home to dozens of industrial units, which include Europa’s HQ and Nike’s logistics campus, which is currently under construction.
One 60 ft high ‘monster’ warehouse – called Rockingham 161 – was even built without locals’ knowledge due to a council error.
The site of the former Weetabix plant still lies empty a year after being constructed, but looms over nearby homes in Hooke Close.
Embarrassingly, council workers mistakenly consulted people living on the wrong road to ask for their thoughts on a massive development.
Northamptonshire has more storage and distribution centres than anywhere else in the country with massive developments ‘constantly’ popping up
Homeowners in Corby have had enough and say their lives have been ruined by the huge warehouses which tower of their homes.
Recruitment firm boss Georgie Wallis, 30, said: ‘They have hit us with these legal bills despite a judge admitting the council were in the wrong.
It was only when residents contacted the council to ask why they hadn’t been informed that they found officials had mixed up the street with one half a mile away.
Locals who opposed to the warehouse were recently refused a judicial review and even slapped with a £5,000 legal bill.
This was despite a judge saying the council had ‘fallen well below the standard expected’ by failing to consult residents properly.
Recruitment firm boss Georgie Wallis, 30, said: ‘They have hit us with these legal bills despite a judge admitting the council were in the wrong.
‘It was because we didn’t submit it on time, so on a technicality, really, I’m just exhausted with it al,l but we will keep fighting.
‘We have got to pay up this money while this giant eyesore lies empty – who knows what life will be like once people are in there with the pollution and traffic.
‘I look out of my garden and all I can see is this big, grey and black daunting building which looms over our home.’
Portuguese-born Jose Cruz, 65, and his wife Olga, 60, moved into their two-bedroom semi-detached home in 2011.
Portuguese-born Jose Cruz, 65, and his wife Olga, 60, moved into their two-bedroom semi-detached home in 2011
He says they live constantly in a shadow and that the building blocks about 80 per cent of the sunlight into his home
He says they live constantly in a shadow and that the building blocks about 80 per cent of the sunlight into his home.
Mr Cruz went on: said: ‘Nobody wanted the warehouse here and nobody even consulted us about it, it has been a crazy situation from day one.
‘We feel like we’re living by the Berlin Wall, that’s the most accurate way to describe it, and I don’t even think the Berlin Wall was as big as this.
‘I have lived in four different countries and I have never known anything like this.
‘The UK is not short of space – why erect these warehouses in between people’s homes? It’s just unbelievable.
‘I’m afraid to have an estate agent round as who knows how much money has been wiped off the value of our property.
‘It’s terrible and we’re very angry we weren’t consulted about it.
‘I just don’t understand this country. The people here are the most wonderful but the one per cent making these decisions, I just do not get.’
Mr Cruz said: ‘We feel like we’re living by the Berlin Wall, that’s the most accurate way to describe it, and I don’t even think the Berlin Wall was as big as this’
Council officers mistakenly consulted people living on Hubble Road instead of Hooke Close to ask their opinions about the massive 160,800 sq ft development.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, said it felt like they were now living by ‘a prison camp’.
She added: ‘It has just been horrifying, we have been left with this monstrous eyesore towering above us.
‘They have planted some little trees but that’s not going to make a difference. We feel like we’re living by a prison camp.
‘They are constantly being built in other areas too – the town is becoming a gigantic industrial estate. It’s a daily nightmare.’
Near to Magma Park where Europa’s HQ and the Nike campus will be built, residents were also critical of the developments.
One local, who did not want to be named, added: ‘They are throwing up all these giant warehouses and loads of them just lie empty.
Council officers mistakenly consulted people living on Hubble Road instead of Hooke Close to ask their opinions about the massive 160,800 sq ft development
When the huge towering warehouse was yet under construction in Corby
‘You hear about redundancies being made instead, so who is going to fill them all?
‘They are in the wrong place and I’m not sure they are even needed – it feels like there’s more warehouses than residential areas.’
Clare Bottle, chief executive of the UK Warehousing Association, said they were an ‘important engine of growth in our supply chains.’
She said: ‘As supply chains become longer and face uncertainty due to world events, consumers and businesses alike are increasingly relying on warehouses to store and distribute the goods we need.
‘Furthermore, activities which used to take place on the high street and in factories are being shifted into warehouse facilities, along with the processing of returns, recycling and even product repairs, which all underpin the circular economy.’
A spokesperson for North Northamptonshire Council said: ‘Following the court’s decision to refuse the claimant’s application for judicial review on this case, the claimant then appealed the decision, and this appeal was then refused by the court in late March 2024.
People living in Corby, Northamptonshire, were horrified by a huge metal frame built for industrial units just feet from their back doors
‘Due to the ongoing legal conversations around costs, it’s not possible to comment any further at this stage.’
However, for those thinking this can’t get any worse, a real estate expert warned the UK will need around 2,000 football pitches worth of extra warehouse space in order to meet house-building targets and the growth of online retail, the BBC reports.
Will Laing, a research analyst at Newmark Group, said: ‘Given the government’s target to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years, coupled with the continued shift to online retail, we estimate 150,000,000 sq ft (13,935,456 sq m) of extra warehousing will be needed over the next 10 years.’
