Adherence to Local Plan and Policy
The Local Plan mandates a mix of B1, B2, and B8 uses, conserving the tranquillity of South Northamptonshire’s natural and built environment. The Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) calls for small and medium-sized proposals, capping unit size at 80k sq ft to avoid overdevelopment and maintain the area’s character.
Despite this, the proposed site will be 48%-90% B8 use, with the largest unit at 350k sq ft, causing serious harm to rural communities. An independent Environmental Consultant labeled the development “extraordinarily incongruous,” posing significant landscape impacts. WNC has inexplicably allowed the application to proceed contrary to its own requirements.
Additionally, the emerging local plan allocates 58 hectares for commercial development, but only 9 hectares are needed. Reallocating the 16 hectares earmarked for Furtho avoids building on greenfield sites, like the part identified as Open Mosaic. The Furtho Pit development is unnecessary, with space 8 kilometers away having better motorway access.
WNC stipulated roundabout access in the Local Plan. To accommodate the oversized Unit 1, developers changed the access point to a T junction with a ghost island, compromising site access safety.
The development fails AL5’s goal to offer diverse employment opportunities, crucial for economic resilience. It's dominated by warehouses, lacking the required mix of B1, B2, and B8 uses. Claims of “office spaces within warehouses” are misleading, as end users dictate usage.
The SPD emphasises respecting existing residential properties, heritage assets, biodiversity, and environmental character. The development will cause a greater than 10db noise increase, harming residents’ mental and physical health. WNC Environmental Protection insists on "no" impact rather than "low" impact. This proposal fails to protect or enhance the natural environment or built heritage.
Peter Frampton, representing the developer, thinks these requirements are "guidelines not tramlines" signalling their intention to ignore the restrictions WNC added specifically to protect small rural communities like ours. If this precedent is set, future developments will be a free-for-all.
Conversely, Saira Kabir Sheikh KC representing WNC against the appeal by DHL relating to the AL2 development (DHL warehouses at Towcester) said 'The purpose of the plan-led system is not to treat employment land site allocations as licenses to recklessly disregard local and national planning policy'
Going against National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
The NPPF mandates enhancing the natural environment and minimizing biodiversity impacts. The proposal’s significant net biodiversity loss contradicts NPPF requirements.
The scheme is contrary to the Council’s development plan in material respects. It causes significant landscape and visual harm and takes an unreal and flawed approach to the impact of the proposal on the highway network. To date, this application has not fulfilled requirements relating to consultation, flood risk, enhancement of local environment, biodiversity, ground contamination, pollution (of all types).
Our latest detailed ecological report has revealed that the planned development on Old Cosgrove Road is not only threatening valuable natural habitats but is also non-compliant with local and national environmental policies. The western section of the site houses rare and sensitive ecosystems, meeting the criteria for designation as a Local Wildlife Site. However, developers are disregarding these ecological priorities, and as such, directly offends Local Plan Policy NE5(4) which priotises the protection of such habitats
For more info about non adherence to the Local Plan, please see the
letter written on our behalf by Richard Buxton Solicitors to WNC planning department dated Aug 24
Adherence to Local Plan and Policy
The Local Plan mandates a mix of B1, B2, and B8 uses, conserving the tranquillity of South Northamptonshire’s natural and built environment. The Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) calls for small and medium-sized proposals, capping unit size at 80k sq ft to avoid overdevelopment and maintain the area’s character.
Despite this, the proposed site will be 48%-90% B8 use, with the largest unit at 350k sq ft, causing serious harm to rural communities. An independent Environmental Consultant labeled the development “extraordinarily incongruous,” posing significant landscape impacts. WNC has inexplicably allowed the application to proceed contrary to its own requirements.
Additionally, the emerging local plan allocates 58 hectares for commercial development, but only 9 hectares are needed. Reallocating the 16 hectares earmarked for Furtho avoids building on greenfield sites, like the part identified as Open Mosaic. The Furtho Pit development is unnecessary, with space 8 kilometers away having better motorway access.
WNC stipulated roundabout access in the Local Plan. To accommodate the oversized Unit 1, developers changed the access point to a T junction with a ghost island, compromising site access safety.
The development fails AL5’s goal to offer diverse employment opportunities, crucial for economic resilience. It's dominated by warehouses, lacking the required mix of B1, B2, and B8 uses. Claims of “office spaces within warehouses” are misleading, as end users dictate usage.
The SPD emphasises respecting existing residential properties, heritage assets, biodiversity, and environmental character. The development will cause a greater than 10db noise increase, harming residents’ mental and physical health. WNC Environmental Protection insists on "no" impact rather than "low" impact. This proposal fails to protect or enhance the natural environment or built heritage.
Peter Frampton, representing the developer, thinks these requirements are "guidelines not tramlines" signalling their intention to ignore the restrictions WNC added specifically to protect small rural communities like ours. If this precedent is set, future developments will be a free-for-all.
Conversely, Saira Kabir Sheikh KC representing WNC against the appeal by DHL relating to the AL2 development (DHL warehouses at Towcester) said 'The purpose of the plan-led system is not to treat employment land site allocations as licenses to recklessly disregard local and national planning policy'
Going against National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
The NPPF mandates enhancing the natural environment and minimizing biodiversity impacts. The proposal’s significant net biodiversity loss contradicts NPPF requirements.
The scheme is contrary to the Council’s development plan in material respects. It causes significant landscape and visual harm and takes an unreal and flawed approach to the impact of the proposal on the highway network. To date, this application has not fulfilled requirements relating to consultation, flood risk, enhancement of local environment, biodiversity, ground contamination, pollution (of all types).
Our latest detailed ecological report has revealed that the planned development on Old Cosgrove Road is not only threatening valuable natural habitats but is also non-compliant with local and national environmental policies. The western section of the site houses rare and sensitive ecosystems, meeting the criteria for designation as a Local Wildlife Site. However, developers are disregarding these ecological priorities, and as such, directly offends Local Plan Policy NE5(4) which priotises the protection of such habitats
For more info about non adherence to the Local Plan, please see the
letter written on our behalf by Richard Buxton Solicitors to WNC planning department dated Aug 24
Adherence to Local Plan - Reasons to Object
- The scheme is contrary to the Council’s development plan in material respects. It causes significant landscape and visual harm and takes an unreal and flawed approach to the impact of the proposal on the highway network
- Unit 1 is oversized and designed in a way that is not in accordance with the parameters in the SPD, with consequential harm to the local environment
- The Development fails to deliver the principal policy objective of AL5 to provide a variety of employment opportunities on the Site to reflect the need for diversity and resilience in the local economy, as expressed in the Council’s economic growth strategy
- The road infrastructure is not designed in accordance with the policy criteria in 4(a) to provide a new roundabout junction from the A508.
- There are serious questions about the deliverability of new public transport links to the Site to provide sustainable transport.
- Pedestrian/Cycle Connectivity: The required connection to Old Stratford is not demonstrated as deliverable. Key sections lie on National Highways and Parish Council land with no agreements in place, contrary to AL5’s requirement for safe, direct, and deliverable sustainable access.
- Heritage Setting: The scheme fails to respect the setting of nearby heritage assets, including the setting of the Grand Union Canal Conservation Area, contrary to the SPD and Local Plan design policies. Does not maintain the identity of towns/villages; risks coalescence of Old Stratford and Cosgrove. SS2:
- Ecology and Biodiversity: Key ecological surveys and assessments remain incomplete or disputed including inadequate mitigation; the scheme does not demonstrate compliance with required biodiversity net‑gain standards. Policy non-compliance: NPPF 187 & 193, NE4, NE5, HE6
- ‘Habitat of Principal Importance in section 41 of Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (NERC 2006), loss of this habitat would conflict with South Northamptonshire Local Plan (Part 2) policy; Policy NE5 Biodiversity and Geodiversity’ (Paul Evans WNC Principal Natural Environment Officer)
