Large car park built in Northampton town centre WITHOUT planning permission slammed as 'DISGRACEFUL'' by police

A controversial car park built without planning permission in Northampton town centre has been slammed as ‘disgraceful’ by the police.

A 58-space car park on derelict land between Northampton Crown Court and the Grosvenor Centre is already built and in full operation, despite not having the go-ahead from West Northamptonshire Council (WNC).

The blunder came to light only after the Chronicle and Echo spotted the planning application for the car park this month (March) – yet reporters knew that the site had already been built and was open to motorists.

Zone Developments cleared the East Island land last year and began operating the ANPR car park system in December.

Northants Police Fire and Rescue has now came out and said it is ‘disgraceful’ that the car park has been allowed to open in its current state.

A Northants Police, Fire and Rescue spokesman said: “This car park has none of the attributes of a safe place to park and is fully operational whilst remaining in part a work in progress with deep holes, trip hazards and the debris from the land clearance littered across the site.

"It is disgraceful that it has been allowed to open with no permanent perimeter fence line, no landscaping, no lighting and no height restriction barrier in place all of which are commonplace on all other car parks in Northampton. Rectification works to meet that standard should be implemented immediately.”

West Northants Highways has also wrote a scathing review, saying the car park is ‘dangerous’.

A Highways spokesman said: “The fact that the access is at such an acute angle facing into traffic is dangerous, motorists will have to enter the highways angled the wrong way and must perform a U-turn to follow the direction of traffic.

“Furthermore, this is likely to lead to those exiting using the middle of the access, which will prevent access in. This will then result in anyone wanting to enter the car park stopping and waiting in the road after a blind bend, potential leading to cars being rear ended. Again, this is dangerous and compromises highway safety.

“The pedestrian routes out of the car park and into town have not been considered. From the plans, it appears they will have to walk along the access road into / out of the car park. The only route directly into town, is to cross the road, which again raises the concern of the lack of visibility around the corner.”

Another said: “This is a heavily congested junction. The temporary car park has already been in place for a few months and causes a massive safety risk when cars are slowing down past the bend to enter the car park as well as when cars are entering. I have had over 10 near accidents and misses due to the placement of the car park. This is going to end in serious accident one time.”

Another person objected, saying: “I don't think people should be able to create something like this and make money out of it without having planning permission. If everyone does it it will be anarchy.”

Several attempts at contacting Zone Developments have been made by the Chron.

WNC’s response

A spokesperson from WNC previously said: “A full planning application has been submitted and is out to consultation.

"Once determined, the outcome will be published on the West Northamptonshire Council website for members of the public to review.

“Planning enforcement officers have now been made aware of this issue and planning services are in the process of prioritising this planning application. Once this is determined, we will take any appropriate next steps.”

Further questions have been put to WNC about how the car park was allowed to be built and opened without permission.

WNC said it would not comment any further due to this being "a live planning application”.