100 letters of support for warehouse plans surrounding Northampton Town Football Club with concerns raised by supporters trust

Concerns have been raised that Northampton Town Football Club’s (NTFC) Sixfields Stadium could be missing a “clear open goal” by not pursuing community and leisure developments for the empty land, which harmonises with the town’s sporting community, instead of the proposed industrial use.

The club submitted plans to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) earlier this year, earmarking the disused land to the east of the stadium, which was formerly a running track, for 11 units across seven new warehouse buildings.

The NTFC Supporters Trust has raised concerns that, if the project is to go ahead, any future expansion of the stadium will be hemmed in on its eastern side by a development which it says is not in the interest of the local community.

It continues: “Northampton is almost unique in the country in being the venue for first class rugby, cricket and football but there seems to be no thinking or strategy as to how to maximize the benefits.

“We would ask councillors and planning officers to take a step back and consider whether approval of this application for light industrial use misses a clear open goal in exploring options for this land that include community and leisure developments that have synergy with the football club and the town’s sporting community.

“It seems that warehousing is being allowed to dominate all strategic thinking as regards Sixfields. The county is not suffering from a shortage of warehousing developments but the demand seems almost insatiable within the ‘Golden Triangle’.

“The successful outcome of this planning application will see a very significant depletion in the assets of NTFC for no ascertainable benefit to the club, its supporters or the people of Northampton.”

Cllr John East, Reform UK ward member for Dallington Spencer, has also lodged his own objections to the plans and asked for the decision to be called in to the planning committee for assessment.

He said: “There would be a loss of amenity to the public, the parking area that is used regularly by the football ground on match days, as well as the Formula 1 park and ride scheme. It also hosts the amusement fair on a regular basis, which attracts a large number of people to the area.

“The loss of parking area would likely see an increase of on-street parking around nearby residential areas during match days. This is a problem that is commonly seen with the nearby Franklin Gardens stadium, in which residents in the St James area are plagued by spectators parking around residential areas.

“Sixfields is a leisure area where people can enjoy hospitality and leisure facilities. The introduction of industrial units with HGV vehicular traffic is likely to deter people to the area and would have a negative impact on business during what is already a difficult time for the hospitality and leisure sectors.”

However, according to the planning portal, more than a hundred letters of support have been received from members of the public, compared to just 17 objections and five comments.

One person wrote: “This enables the use and economic development of this previously under utilised land. It also helps support our local football clubs survival and that helps its longer term sustainability which gives benefits to so many people in our community.”

Another added: “I’m in support of this application, it’s great to see this plot of land put to good use for the benefit of local jobs, hospitality & the football team.”

According to the WNC planning portal, all comments on the application were due by the end of November.

National Highways also currently has a holding objection to the development while it completes further reviews of trip distribution and traffic assessments on major roads. It is not clear when the plans will go to committee for determination.

Northampton Town Football Club has been approached for comment.