A giant storage warehouse is set to dominate a busy junction in north Colchester.

Storage firm Big Yellow has won its battle to set up a 2,482 sq m building at the "teardrop" site in Turner Rise, Colchester, after a Government planning inspector overturned Colchester Council's refusal of the plans.

Big Yellow now hope to open its doors in Colchester by autumn 2002.

The land, at the junction of Mile End, Bruff Close and Turner Road, is the last plot of the Turner Rise area earmarked for development yet to be built on.

At one stage, a McDonald's restaurant was planned for the site, but that deal fell through after ownership of the plot changed hands.

Big Yellow's plans include storage space ranging in size from 10 sq ft to 500 sq ft and fully serviced office space.

Residents objected to the plans because it would be open around the clock and because it would be floodlit.

Gerard Oxford (Lib Dem, Mile End) said he was "disappointed" the planning committee's decision had been overturned by the inspector, but added he had not yet seen the transcript of the decision and so was unable to comment further.

But he said: "I was clearly concerned as a ward councillor following representations about the plan from residents."

The council's own planning experts had advised the committee to back the Big Yellow scheme, saying the building was an attractive design and would create far less traffic than practically any other use of the land. But the committee went against their officers' advice.

Published Thursday December 27, 2001