FENLAND haulier Tony Knowles has won the backing of fast-expanding Premier Foods to create up to 50 jobs at a major new depot covering five acres on the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border. Overall we regard this proposed development as a fundamental part of

FENLAND haulier Tony Knowles has won the backing of fast-expanding Premier Foods to create up to 50 jobs at a major new depot covering five acres on the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.

"Overall we regard this proposed development as a fundamental part of our long-term strategy to retain and develop our East Anglia logistics hub," says Richard Herbage of Premier Foods.

His company's support is being used to back the Knowles Transport bid to build a 16,500 square metre warehouse to the southwest of its site in Lynn Road, Wisbech.

West Norfolk planners have been told that Premier Foods already has major sites in Wisbech and Long Sutton but with its acquisition of Campbell's Food in King's Lynn, additional warehousing is needed.

Peter Humphrey, agent for Knowles, which has its head office at Wimblington, says the new building will be to the rear of existing buildings which will largely screen it from view.

The proposed warehouse, at Walsoken, falls within the catchment area of King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council and detailed plans, including a noise assessment, have been prepared.

Warehousing on an existing 10-acre site generates some 75 loads during a 24-hour working day, and Mr Humphrey says the extension will add only 30 loads a day.

Mr Humphrey concedes that "the loss of best and mostly versatile soils is inevitable with any development in the Fens, and is not peculiar to this development".

He says the expansion will enable the business to prosper, create new jobs and safeguard existing jobs.

Knowles Transport's application states that daytime movements will attract few or no complaints, with complaints about night-time movements being of only "marginal significance".

The report says the current depot operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing storage for a variety of tinned foods. And if the extension is approved, it will increase Knowles' overall warehousing and office space at Walsoken to 68,250 square metres.