Amazon confirmed by MP Rachel Maclean as moving to Redditch site - The Redditch Standard

Amazon confirmed by MP Rachel Maclean as moving to Redditch site

Redditch Editorial 23rd Jan, 2020 Updated: 23rd Jan, 2020   0

ONLINE shopping giant Amazon has been confirmed as the tenant for the Redditch Eastern Gateway.

The company, owned by Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man with a net worth of some $115billion, has long been rumoured as the mystery client of the northern section of the Gateway, which lies in Bromsgrove District.

However this morning, Thursday, January 23, the news was broken by Redditch MP Rachel Maclean in the House of Commons.

She was asking the Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, about the need for a debate on the rollout of 5G and said: “Amazon is poised to bring highly skilled, digital and tech jobs to our fantastic town.”




Councillor Matt Dormer, the Leader of Redditch Borough Council, said the arrival of a Amazon was a good news story for Redditch.

“I think it’s really good news for the town,” he said.


“Amazon do not pay minimum wage and be done with it, they pay above that level.

“They also have their own in-house academy so staff will be trained and skills passed on.

“This is good news for Redditch because other companies will go where Amazon goes which will draw more people to our town to live and work which will help boost our local economy.

“Amazon is not all doom and gloom and we have got to get over that – this is positive news for our town.”

The site Amazon will occupy features a massive warehouse complex with docking bays for 121 heavy goods vehicles, parking for 127 more, 475 car park spaces and even three bus stops.

The Redditch Eastern Gateway, which lies off Gorcott Hill and the A4023 Coventry Highway, has been mired in controversy ever since it was first proposed.

Originally billed as a hi-tech business park, only a small section of it actually lies within Redditch Borough, the bulk of the land being split between Bromsgrove District to the north and Stratford District to the south.

Fears of increased traffic along the A435 have led to a routing strategy being introduced for vehicles heading south, bypassing Studley, while local residents in Winyates Green have long voiced their anger over increased noise, light and visual pollution.

Work has only recently been completed improving Junction 3 of the M42 with the A435.

Local campaigner Len Quartly said: “Whatever was going to be there it was always going to be a 24 hour operation; the major concern is what the volume of traffic is going to be and I suspect that with a company like Amazon it will be very heavy indeed.

“So the amount of traffic on the road will be very considerable indeed and together with noise and light pollution will have huge impact on local residents, both in Winyates Green and further along the A435.

A spokesperson for Amazon said: “We do not comment on rumour or speculation.”

Announcements

Weddings, Birthdays, Bereavements, Thank you notices, Marriages and more.

Podcasts

Now, every week, you can also listen to a roundup of Redditch Standard Local News.

Subscribe

Receive a weekly update to your inbox by signing up to our weekly newsletter.

Business Directory

From plumbers, to restaurants, we can provide you with all the info you need.