Site of former distribution centre could turn in to park and ride for Hinkley Point C workers
The Argos Distribution Centre on the Huntworth Business Park near the M5 closed in April 2021
A new park and ride site for Hinkley Point C staff could soon be created in the grounds of a former distribution centre near the M5.
The Argos Distribution Centre (known as Big Box 24) on the Huntworth Business Park closed in April 2021 at a cost of around 230 jobs as part of a wider plan to integrate the commercial operations of Argos and Sainsbury’s.
EDF Energy currently operates a park and ride facility in a different part of the business park, ferrying workers from Junction 24 of the motorway through Bridgwater to the nuclear construction site.
The company has now applied to temporarily use the former Argos site as an additional park and ride site in light of the roadworks which will be getting under way near the Dunball roundabout in early-February.
EDF principal planner Kathrine Haddrell said: “The proposed temporary development will provide an additional 600 spaces for HPC workers while the park and ride at Junction 23 is affected by the works planned to the Dunball roundabout and, in due course, the Cross Rifles roundabout.
“This would involve specific workers travelling southbound on the M5 being directed to Junction 24 rather than Junction 23.”
The Dunball roundabout will be signalised and upgraded to a ‘throughabout’ as part of a £5.3m scheme designed to improve traffic flows between Bridgwater and the M5, as well as unlocking new housing and employment sites in the local area.
Work on the early parts of the scheme – which is partially funded by the government’s levelling up fund – is expected to begin on February 1, while a start date for improvements to the Cross Rifles roundabout has yet to be announced.
Ms Haddrell added: “The proposed temporary development will provide some additional parking for HPC workers to compensate for the fact that some of the capacity at the Junction 24 park and ride (which has 200-250 spaces) is taken up by both bus drivers and support staff.
“It is proposed to use the existing bus services which currently serve Junction 24 to also serve the temporary park and ride facility, so that buses will run at greater capacity rather than any increase in bus numbers.”
If the plans are approved, the warehouse – which was put on the market for £21m in October 2021 – will be used to store materials for the various elements of the Hinkley Point C construction programme.
The temporary facility would remain in place for up to five years – though EDF Energy could apply to extend its lifespan at a later date should there be any delays with the construction.
Sedgemoor District Council is expected to make a ruling on the park and ride proposals within the next few weeks.
A separate decision is also expected shortly on proposals to use part of the road near the Argos site as a travellers site, following its temporary usage between July 2020 and November 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic.