Osborne Clarke Advises News International

Osborne Clarke Advises News International on World's Largest Printing Plant

Osborne Clarke has advised News International on its high profile state of the art £350 million printing facility in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. The new 87,000 square metre facility, described as the world's largest printing plant, is capable of producing over 1,000,000 papers per hour.

Osborne Clarke advised News International on all planning aspects of the new plant, including:

·         Working with the architects to secure planning permission
·         Negotiating planning conditions and the section 106 agreement with the local authority
·         Negotiating highway agreements with the Highways Agency and County Council, including works to the A10 and M25 and downgrading a road to a bridleway and diverting it to allow the development
·         Arranging the purchase of a Little Chef outlet and a land swap with Trust House Forte (THF) to free up land for the development and allow THF to build a hotel
·         Securing land on the west side of the A10 to facilitate the road works
·         Advice on ancillary accommodation.

Carl Dyer, planning partner, Osborne Clarke, said:

"This is an extremely exciting project to work on as News International's new plant sets new standards for the design of printing plants. The huge building is the size of twenty-three football pitches and required significant infrastructure changes and complex planning agreements.

"It has been great to work with a client committed to working with the local planning authority and to making such a significant investment in the local community, and this has been reflected in the planning package."

Planning partner Carl Dyer advised News International assisted by associate Alison Whitelam.