Former data storage facility in Stone set to be bulldozed to make way for new development

The warehouse at Stone Business Park is more than 35 years old. It previously housed IT equipment but is now surplus to requirements.

Stafford Borough Council has received an application seeking permission to demolish all nine buildings on the Brooms Road Site.

A supporting statement submitted as part of the application said: “The building was recently vacated and is being decommissioned by RBS, and applicant PLP proposes to bring forward a comprehensive redevelopment scheme, details of which will be submitted under a separate planning application.

“PLP has investigated the re-use of the buildings as part of the new scheme but the buildings are not suitable to be retained or modified as part of the proposed fit-for-purpose warehousing scheme which will deliver a significant upgrade in the design quality and efficiency of the built form on site.”

Stone Town Council raised no objection to the demolition at its latest planning consultative committee meeting this month. But members called for conditions to be attached to any planning approval to stipulate hours of operation and prevent any work taking place on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.

Councillor Philip Leason said: “It is a sign of the times this data centre is not required.”

Councillor Jill Hood said “We have the Brooms Road mobile home park nearby and I continually get phone calls from residents there. They are struggling with building work conditions not being adhered to.

“They have suffered so much and the majority of them are elderly. It seems sad that they will have to go through another period of people coming and going.

“I would ask that we stipulate some conditions and hopefully the demolition group will stick to them.”