Amazon is continuing to seek planning permission for a 2.8 million ft² warehouse in Yorkshire despite widespread concerns the online retailer and 3PL was retrenching worldwide. This was thought to be in response to its overextension during the pandemic, especially in the US, and the subsequent announcement that around 18,000 jobs worldwide would be cut.
Amazon has announced the closure of 7 delivery stations and three fulfilment centres in the UK while in the same breath announcing that it would be opening two mega fulfilment centres in the Midlands and the North of England.
This would be an additional mega fulfilment centre for the internet giant and is expected to create 2,600 jobs.
ISG Retail, which is promoting the huge logistics development, confirmed that Amazon would operate the facility last year. The company has recently provided the council’s planning committee with a detailed road safety audit as it seeks to secure the relevant approvals to allow the development to proceed.
The 59-acre greenfield site has proven extremely controversial with local MP Kim Leadbeater even asking questions about it in Parliament. Leadbeater has opposed the development of the site, calling into question whether the internet giant would be able to fulfil its promises on job creation. In a letter to the Kirklees Council in her role as local Member of Parliament, she stated that the development would be “too big, too polluting, too damaging”.