10:19, 06 Nov 2025Updated 07:32, 07 Nov 2025<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_MS_BGS_06_11_25_Warehouse-2.jpg\")
The new warehouse in Pilning(Image: SWNS)<\/p>\n
Residents are fuming after a massive warehouse dubbed a “mega shed” was built in a South Gloucestershire<\/a> village without their consultation, using a controversial rule from 1957.<\/p>\n Locals in Pilning say the 500,000sqft building is a “monstrosity” which blights the area, has robbed them of views and even blocks the sun.<\/p>\n They say the \u2018’stadium-size’\u2019 20m (65ft) high facility looks like a \u201clarge prison\u201d or something from “War of the Worlds” and is also floodlit all night. People say they weren’t consulted over the building of the ”industrial distribution hub” because of an historic planning consent dating back to 1957.<\/p>\n The 1957 scheme was part of a post-war building initiative and allows developers to go ahead with an application in the area without fully consulting residents. It was originally designed 70 years ago to boost future expansion of chemical, storage, and distribution industries.<\/p>\n The ‘consent’ also means councillors are prohibited from taking into account many issues raised by residents. Locals claim estate agents have told them their homes have been significantly devalued, by up to ten per cent, by the building.<\/p>\n Some have dubbed it the ”giant green house”. Construction is ongoing and the building is expected to be finished in April, with neighbours left uncertain about its future use.<\/p>\n Simone Harrison, 55, and husband Ricky Harrison, 51, say for 13 years all they could see in that direction was wildlife and animals like deer and rabbits.<\/p>\n But now when they open their windows all they see is a massive warehouse. Simone said: \u201cI feel so upset. We have never drawn our curtains. Now you feel like you have no privacy.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is an effing monstrosity. It has certainly changed the way I feel about the area. If it is going to be a distribution hub there are going to be lorries every night.<\/p>\n \u201cI might as well move out and live in the city again if this is going to be fully operational.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they started the piling work the whole house was shaking and a lot of dust. They told they were going to clean our house and cars and they didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n Ricky said: \u201cI understand we need progression but there has been little thought about the houses and who lives here.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is not planned by someone who lives here. They just plonked it here. What is it going to look like? Is it going to look like a stadium?<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it was being built it was like War of the Worlds – it just kept getting bigger and bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n Sue Jones, 67, a retired army veteran, went on holiday and when she came back after two weeks the “monster shed” had appeared.<\/p>\n \u201cI was disgusted when I saw it,\u201d she said. \u201cThey managed to get it so close to the houses.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd what about the flood plan? Where is all the water going to go?<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it is completed it is going to be like living next to a large prison.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t get any correspondence from the developers until last week we got a newsletter number six out of six. Where did the other correspondence go?\u201d<\/p>\n Sue said she doesn\u2019t know what the industrial unit is meant to be but is afraid there are going to be lorries in and out of the village day and night.<\/p>\n She added: \u201cThey go on about this creating jobs.<\/p>\n ”But this will create a few minimum wage jobs and the rest is automated. There are thousands of warehouse jobs around here.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a monster. It looks like a giant green house.\u201d<\/p>\n Collin, 75 and his wife Marilyn Cheetham, 73 can see the warehouse from a room upstairs in their home. Collin said: \u201cI see it when we are upstairs and it is right in our faces.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they had stuck to their first plans that would have been fine.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have got to accept progress. What we are opposed to is the size of it. It all happened in 10 weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to have to put up with it for the rest of our lives. You can see it from miles around.\u201d<\/p>\n Couple Christine, 68, and Paul Selby, 71 , fear it will be a 24\/7 operation.<\/p>\n Christine said: \u201dI feel annoyed and powerless to say the least. It has destroyed the area.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are doing this relying on the old planning permission. They have not envisioned flooding and the consequences.<\/p>\n Paul added: \u201cIt is going to alter the area completely. There has been no consideration given and no questions asked to residents.\u201d<\/p>\n South Gloucestershire<\/a> Council said it had \u2018limited\u2019 control over the plans because of planning permission for the Severnside area granted in 1957.<\/p>\n![\"Local](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_MS_BGS_06_11_25_Warehouse-4.jpg\")
Local resident Simone Harrison Kelly(Image: SWNS)<\/p>\n![\"Local](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_MS_BGS_06_11_25_Warehouse-5.jpg\")
Local resident Sue Jones(Image: SWNS)<\/p>\n![\"Local](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1_MS_BGS_06_11_25_Warehouse-3.jpg\")
Local residents Christine and Paul Selby(Image: SWNS)<\/p>\n
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The new Pilning warehouse behind village homes (Image: SWNS)<\/p>\n