Retirement flats next to supermarket blocked following cash row
GV of Aldi site in Wellingborough Road, Weston Favell.
THE development of 50 retirement flats on the outskirts of Northampton has been blocked by councillors because of a disagreement over how much money the developers should pay to provide affordable houses elsewhere in the town.
In July last year, national developers, McCarthy and Stone, revealed plans to build on the site of a former car showroom in Wellingborough Road, Weston Favell.
The development would have seen retirement flats built next to a new Aldi supermarket, which has already been built on part of the the site.
But during a meeting of Northampton Borough Council’s planning committee last night, officials heard that talks between McCarthy and Stone and the council had hit a problem.
The committee heard that when developers apply to the council to build a significant number of houses in the town, they have to agree to build a certain number of ‘affordable’ properties. As that was not possible in a development of retirement flats, McCarthy and Stone had agreed to pay £226,000 to the council so affordable homes could be built elsewhere.
But speaking on behalf of the company, Lisa Matthewson said the council had not agreed that the figure was enough.
She argued: “This offer is more than appropriate and is a significant figure.
“If we were to go back and look at it again, we’d actually come back to the council with a lower offer.”
Despite her warning, members of the council’s planning committee still asked the firm to go away and reconsider their plans.
Councillor Dennis Meredith (Lib Dem, Talavera) said: “This development looks like a good one on the face of it, but there’s a stumbling block here that needs to be resolved.
“I would urge the developers to come back with a different proposal and see what can be done then.”
The planning committee then voted to refuse the planning application by a majority of seven to two.
It is now expected that McCarthy and Stone will appeal against the council’s decision, meaning a final decision on whether or not the development should go ahead would be made by a national planning inspector.
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
SteveWonder
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 11:09 PMI am no expert in such high falutin financial matters but £226,000 even to me is a laughably small amount compared to the mega bucks in profit from so many flats.
HOS
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 12:00 PMI agree 100%, take it to appeal to the Secretary of State. Previously NBC were making a big fuss about keeping this development upmarket in acccordance with the area and a as "major gateway to the town". Now they have changed tack completely and said they dont want private retirement homes, they want social housing. I wish the developers every success in defeating NBC with their appeal. I think the history speaks for itself.
Cely
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 12:35 PMWell done the council. For probably the first time ever they have the developers for the money up front. How many times in the past have developers promised amenities at the end of the build then ran out of money?
Chrispy1
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 10:54 AMUNBELIEVABLE! Here is a perfect regeneration project, a top-quality building (McCarthy & Stone are very upmarket). A brownfield site. More homes, meaning reduced housing pressures....and what do NBC do....they turn it down! So, Northampton will retain an empty wasteland, whilst meanwhile areas like greenfields near Upton will no doubt be approved by WNDC. You couldn't make it up....these people are worse than useless. p.s. remember Hawkins Factory near the Mounts? A derilict building, turned down for re-development by (then Labour run) NBC, because it didn't include enough "affordible housing"? 12 years later - the building is still a derilict eye-sore.
pushkin
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 08:32 AMYet another empty site due to our council . They cannot realise that the ressesion not only hits Council spending but also developers spending. Still its only one of many empty sites not bringing in jobs, council tax, that the worse Council in the land has declined. Best of luck to the appeal to a higher and more realistic authority.
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