Plans for a giant ‘mega warehouse’ creating more than 1,000 jobs in Halton have been given the go ahead.

The council’s development management committee met last night where it backed a scheme by Marshall CDP for a £65m warehouse and office project off Lovels Way in Halebank. The development will be roughly the same size as eight-and-a-half football pitches.

The decision came despite an objection from Halebank Parish Council which raised issues including the building’s height and noise impact on nearby residents of it operating 24-hour-a-day.

The meeting at Runcorn Town Hall heard the developer had made some ‘welcome’ changes to its initial access plans which would see traffic move on and off site via the A5300 (Knowsley Expressway), with access no longer available through Halebank Road.

Philippa Landor, a planning consultant representing Halebank Parish Council, told members: “There is currently no end user identified to operate the facility and therefore there is no business case to justify the constant hours of operation, and the excessive height."

But Miranda Bell, planning manager at applicant Marshall CDP said the company had made changes to the project following public consultations, but that introducing further alterations would render it ‘not fit for purpose’.

She told the meeting: “This (land) has been earmarked for development for over 15 years.

"Since the first planning permissions were granted in 2007, a range of employment uses have subsequently been delivered on the surrounding land. "The proposed development therefore comprises the next logical step.”

Committee member Cllr Dave Thompson said: “There should not be any use of Halebank Road, that’s very important.

“This land is designated for this purpose. There’s no saying that if this application didn't come forward there would not be a series of other smaller applications which might have perhaps significant significant other issues.”

The huge site - known as HBC Fields - spans 55 acres and occupies land close to Alstom Transport Centre. The planned integrated warehouse and office complex will measure more than half-a-million square feet.

There will also be 181 parking bays for HGVs and 72 docking spaces, where lorries will dock to unload and load cargo. A total of 480 car parking spaces are proposed along with 102 cycle spaces. The design also includes two security gatehouses, an electricity substation, a sprinkler tank pump house, and a vehicle wash facility.