Barbour wins go-ahead to more than double the size of new centre's car park

The company plans to resurface an existing area for vehicles and remove trees and shrubs – turning 79 spaces into 202.

Although just 120 staff work at the centre in Bedesway on the Bede Industrial Estate, the firm says clients must also be accommodated.

To create the space, a number of non-protected trees within Barbour’s private premises are set for the chop.

The scheme follows major works being carried out last year to create a single distribution centre from three separate warehouses.

The project included a new service dock area, service yard and section of service road, and exterior improvements to the main building. These allowed for the accommodation of new dock levellers and a loading bay for up to five delivery vehicles.

At the time, managing director Steve Buck described the new centre as a “superb facility” which could house all the firm’s distribution in one place.

Two existing warehouses were at Follingsby Park, Gateshead, and one in Jarrow, which supplied raw materials.

Barbour has now won planning permission from South Tyneside Council for the car park remodelling.

In a report, council planners say the project will support the already-approved operations at the site.

And they revealed roads around Barbour’s premises currently suffer from on-street parking issues, which would be alleviated.

The reports states: “The development would provide a larger staff car park for the Barbour distribution centre by re-surfacing the existing car parking area with Tarmac. It will also incorporate a section of disused grassed land to the rear of the site.

“This land is within the boundary of the existing industrial site and is not designated as amenity open space.

“The development would reduce pressure for on-street parking within the estate.”

And it adds: “The main tree belt to the rear of the site is positioned on rising land set behind an existing 2.1metre-high palisade fence and would be unaffected by the development.

“The existing trees and shrubs on site to be removed to accommodate the new area of car park do not form part of this tree belt.

“They are located on private land and are not protected by a tree preservation order, meaning they could be removed without requiring permission.”