New Local Plan


Have Your Say on the New Local Plan- EC8 Needs Your Voice


West Northamptonshire Council is consulting on its new Local Plan, and one of the most important sections for our area is Policy EC8, which sets out how the Furtho Pit site could be developed in the future. This is your chance to influence the policy before it becomes ‘the rulebook’ for the next 15–20 years.  Your response matters and here’s why.


EC8 Is a New Policy, and It Is Not the Same as AL5

The existing policy AL5 provides strong, district‑wide protection for:


  • priority species
  • Local Wildlife Sites
  • ecological networks
  • habitat connectivity
  • the River Great Ouse corridor
  • the mitigation hierarchy (avoid, minimise, restore, compensate)


EC8 does not restate most of these protections.  

It introduces new requirements, but it also leaves out several safeguards that currently apply under AL5. 


Residents may wish to ask the Council to ensure that AL5’s environmental protections remain fully in force alongside EC8, and that EC8 is strengthened where needed.


EC8 Still Describes the Land as “Poor Environmental Quality”


One of the most important issues for residents to raise is this:

EC8 continues to describe the site as “poor environmental quality,” even though new ecological evidence now confirms the presence of Open Mosaic Habitat on Previously Developed Land (OMHPDL) a nationally recognised Priority Habitat.



This is a significant omission. 


People may wish to ask the Council to update the policy wording so that it reflects the current, evidence‑based ecological value of the site.

EC8 Does Not Mention the Roundabout Required in the SPD and AL5


The Council’s own 2022 Employment Site Allocations SPD requires a new roundabout on the A508 to serve the site.

 

EC8 does not mention this at all.


Residents may want to ask the Council to clarify whether this requirement still applies and why it is not included in the new policy wording.


Employment Uses (E(g), B2, B8)


EC8 allocates the site for 16 hectares of mixed employment development, including:


  • E(g) – offices, R&D, light industrial
  • B2 – general industrial
  • B8 – storage and distribution


Why residents may want to comment:


  • EC8 does not set any limits on the proportion of each use.
  • It does not specify maximum building heights, scale, or mass.
  • It does not define what “mixed” means in practice.
  • It does not address the traffic implications of different employment mixes.
  • It does not restate AL5’s environmental protections, even though employment type affects ecological impact.


Residents may wish to ask the Council to:


  • clarify the expected balance between E(g), B2 and B8
  • set clearer design and scale parameters
  • ensure employment uses are compatible with the surrounding landscape and heritage setting
  • explain how employment mix will be controlled over time


Flood Risk Requirements


EC8 acknowledges that parts of the site lie in Flood Zones 2 and 3 and requires:


  • a full Flood Risk Assessment
  • agreement with the Environment Agency
  • implementation of mitigation measures


Why residents may want to comment:


  • EC8 does not specify what form mitigation should take.
  • It does not address the interaction between flood risk and the proposed Country Park.
  • It does not explain how flood storage will be balanced with ecological protection.
  • It does not reference AL5(g), which protects the River Great Ouse corridor.


Residents may wish to ask the Council to:


  • clarify expectations for flood‑risk mitigation
  • explain how flood storage will be managed without harming ecological value
  • ensure the River Great Ouse corridor remains protected under AL5


The Country Park and Flood‑Storage Area (FSA)


This is a major point residents may want to raise.


What EC8 says -


EC8 refers to a Country Park on the eastern part of the site.


What EC8 does  not say -


EC8 does not mention that this land is likely to be used for flood‑storage attenuation (FSA), a function that:


  • restricts what can be built
  • limits public access
  • affects long‑term land management
  • may conflict with ecological restoration
  • may conflict with canal‑restoration aspirations
  • may reduce the recreational value of the Country Park

Why residents may want to comment:


  • A Country Park used for FSA is not a typical Country Park.
  • EC8 does not explain how these dual functions will be balanced.
  • EC8 does not define what the Country Park must include (paths, habitats, facilities, access).
  • EC8 does not address how FSA will affect the quality, safety, or usability of the space.


Residents may wish to ask the Council to:


  • clarify whether the Country Park is intended to function as flood‑storage
  • define minimum standards for the Country Park
  • explain how ecological value will be protected if the land is engineered for flood storage
  • ensure the Country Park is not used to justify development elsewhere on the site


Other Points Residents May Wish to Raise About EC8


EC8 introduces new obligations, but people may want to comment on whether these are clear enough or strong enough, including:


  • the need for a coordinated masterplan
  • safeguarding the historic canal route
  • requirements for heritage and archaeological assessment
  • expectations for landscape and visual impact
  • clarity on transport and HGV routing
  • how biodiversity net gain should be demonstrated


You can have your say on the draft Plan by completing an online survey using the link here: westnorthants.gov.uk/consultations/west-northamptonshire-local-plan-help-shape-future-your-area


If you need assistance to complete the online questionnaire, would like a copy of it in another format, or respond via an alternative method the contact details are as follows: 


Email: planningpolicyconsultation@westnorthants.gov.uk


Postal address:


Planning Policy - Draft Local Plan
West Northamptonshire Council 
One Angel Square (Service Yard) 
Angel Street 
Northampton 
NN1 1ED 


You don't have to live in West Northants to have a say

Under 'Contact Info' you can select 'Other' from the options provided.


You don't have to comment on the whole Local Plan

The relevant section relating to the Furtho Development is within:

Chapter 12: Economic Growth,  12.12 Site specific policies - Policy EC8 – Cosgrove and Old Stratford, Land at Former Furtho Pit.

You can then select Agree or Disagree and add any comments in the box provided.


View and Comment on WNC's New Local Plan