On an old WWII airfield runway about 2 miles from home as the crow flies is a site with permission to store some lorries/trailers.
But people within sight of the area have seen containers arriving day and night for the last 2 months, more and more and more until they are stored 5 high and quarter of a mile long. I can't see this from my house although on some nights when I've opened my bedroom window I can hear the hum of the crane and trucks unloading.
Driving down the A140 from a distance and through trees it looks like some sort of castle has been built with huge walls around a triangular inner court. From nothing to this in 2 months!
You can imagine all the complaints and rumours on the village Facebook page!
Are they full or are they empty? Is it Covid or Brexit related? and do they have council permission? or is this some sort of government secret store?...............of what? ...............and it's best to avoid the very narrow access road in case you meet a huge truck with yet another container arriving.
All VERY mysterious.
Or they could be brexit and covid -related. Maybe grains or fertilizers?
ReplyDeleteAs I said - that's what the rumours are asking.
DeleteEmpty container are a worldwide problem. The logistics of getting the empty containers to the point they are needed is a headache and storage areas are always in demand. Nothing to do with Covid or Brexit.
ReplyDeletePeople living close are more annoyed by the damage being done to the little access road as two trucks try and pass on a single lane road.
DeleteExcept for someone who says it's spoiled their view!
It's happened before at this time of year when all the Halloween and Christmas tat is imported but never this many!
There has been talk about building inland Customs Clearance Ports, away from the main docks. A possibility. Also, there won't be as much freight moved around the world at the moment, fewer ships crossing the sea. We are in a 'wait and see' period, when everyone is being cautious about buying and selling. It might be resolved next year.
ReplyDeleteI expect they will go as quickly as they came sometime after Christmas
DeleteHow strange. Hope you find out!
ReplyDeleteI found out they are empty
DeleteI saw a tv prog where containers were 'converted' into living spaces as in the designer range! I dont suppose that this is where they will be used for this purpose. Lets hope it's only temporary though.
ReplyDeleteI doubt they are for housing, just waiting to go back to China on the giant ships out of Felixstowe
DeleteVery mysterious indeed. I guess time will reveal whatever there is to be revealed! Do let us know, won't you?
ReplyDeletexx
I expect they'll all go with no one mentioning it
DeleteI'm intrigued. I think I would be ringing the council and asking what is going on.
ReplyDeleteI expect the Parish Council will contact the District Council and it will be discussed and nothing else will happen
DeleteIt's weird that there are so many empty containers there then, at least you've found out now that they are empty.
ReplyDeleteConverted into living spaces and moved around to towns where they are really needed would be a good use for them. I wonder if someone is buying them up cheaply while there are so many available?
My thoughts too!
DeleteI expect they will all go off to China again eventually.
DeleteI bet it will be the local council that has to pay for repairing the damage to the small roads. I know of other situations where planning permission is granted without proper consideration of how lots of heavy lorries get to remote locations.
ReplyDeleteThey had to do big repairs 3 years ago when the same thing happened but on MUCH smaller scale. Dont think any trucks have gone in the ditch yet
DeleteIt amazes me that it was done with no public discussion. We have a very suspect city council right now who are having closed door meetings. Big uproar over THAT...
ReplyDeleteAs the site has permission for some storage I expect the owners just take advantage
DeleteThey'll probably be empty. They used to use the Ipswich dock area for containers a few years ago when the ferry service stopped. Far more goods are imported then exported, a ship doesn't want to carry an empty container back to the country of origin empty, especially China!
ReplyDeleteThe amount stored here is a really good example of how much tat is imported. They used to take all our rubbish away I think, now it's incinerated and China doesn't want our waste and I don't blame them
DeleteWe should cit out the middle man and not import tat in the first place. Let's face it,its all rubbish anyway.
DeleteI'm glad you found out they are empty. I would be more concerned if they were full but you didn't know what they held. I do understand how all the trucks could damage the road.
ReplyDeleteThe road is a mess, breaking at the edges - I'm avoiding it
DeleteHow mysterious Sue - at least it seems they are empty - hope they go as quickly as they have come.
ReplyDeleteIt's the amount that's amazing looks like Felixstowe docks!
DeleteWow what a sight - not necessary a good one for the people who live close! I know the area is close to Felixstowe and if you've ever taken the little ferry from Shotley to Felixstowe you'd see the massive amount of containers there are at the port. Glad you were able to find out they were empty! Hopefully they will disappear as quickly as they appeared.
ReplyDeleteVery curious. Do you know who owns the land?
ReplyDeleteIt's the recession in the world economy - they are called Portable Space Ltd, and the containers are being sold off to anybody who happens to want or need one.
ReplyDeletethe second wave is starting and in a pandemic it is usually the 2nd wave that kills the majority of people. You baby boomers are all going to die of corona-virus and finally the world will be able to make progress when you boomers are all dead
ReplyDeleteInteresting and very mysterious. I wonder what they are going to be used for. Here in Saskatchewan people buy them for storage or furniture, or if they are downsizing and want to store things until they figure out what to do with the items.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
In my hometown they are used as (mainly student)housing: search online for 'containerwoning Groningen' and you will see some lovely examples.
ReplyDeleteStrange goings on indeed Sue...lets hope it's nothing sinister and just a temporary storage help out site. x
ReplyDelete