Magna Park expansion 'will harm Leicestershire village'

Neighbours fear plans to almost double the size of a business park could hugely increase the number of lorries on roads near their village.

The owners of Magna Park said about 9,000 jobs could be created if it got the go-ahead to extend its current site by six million sq ft (550,000 sq m).

Campaigners in Cotesbach said traffic would rise and one new building alone would be as big as the O2 Arena.

The region's Chamber of Commerce said new jobs were vital for the area.

But Graham Logan, of Cotesbach Action Group, said: "If it's going to double in size we're going to see probably twice as many HGV lorries on our roads.

"We're talking substantial buildings that would dwarf the existing Magna Park, so I'm hoping this won't go forward."

Chris Hobson, of the Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: "The important thing for Leicester and Leicestershire that this is potentially creating thousands of new jobs.

"One of our great assets in the Midlands is that we're the centre of the country and that means when it comes to certain types of industry we're really well placed to bring stuff into us and send it out to the rest of the country. It's one of our strengths and we should be playing to it."

Harborough District Council is considering two applications, one to expand Magna Park and another to create a similar hub south of the site on farmland.