Image courtesy of The New Haven Group and Hillwood

A large warehouse just off Interstate 84 in Willington won’t go forward after town officials voted down a proposal from local developer The New Haven Group and Dallas, Texas-based developer Hillwood Development Co.

The joint venture had proposed a 1.5 million-square-foot warehouse with 720 trailer stalls and 228 loading bays just off Exit 70 near the town’s western border with Tolland.

The Willington Planning & Zoning Commission rejected a zoning change on Sept. 20 that was required for the project to move forward from its conceptual phase.

The project was intended to largely offer warehouse space, not distribution space, and would not be built on spec, a representative of the joint venture told town officials. Th

The project generated significant and at times vitriolic discussion among local residents. Concerns raised during three nights of public hearings included blasting required to clear the development site, traffic, impacts on the local river and on groundwater.