Consultation period for controversial Towcester planning application for huge warehouse development nears end

The planning application for a new DHL warehouse development next to Bell Plantation in Towcester will be reaching its final day for comments on Wednesday (November 16) and there is still time for residents to have their say.

The site plans will include a warehouse and accompanying buildings, new roundabout and football club for Towcester accessed from the north bound A5 at Bell Plantation and joins a number of other sites in the area with pending planning permission.

The site AL3, which sits around the back of the potential DHL warehousing development and alongside the A43, has already been granted planning permission for a motor showroom, garage and offices. There are another two alongside these that have been allocated and also waiting for planning decisions.

A huge amount of objections are already on the West Northamptonshire Council planning portal and include comments such as: “It will be a very sad day for Towcester if this is approved against a very strong local opposition,” and “the increased traffic is estimated at 3,000 movements per day for one warehouse. This is a ludicrous amount of traffic for a poorly maintained road”.

The Facebook community in Towcester have also said: “Anyone that doesn’t want Towcester to look like an industrial estate needs to get online to post their views now.”

The planning application is also one of several that sparked the ‘Save Towcester Now’ group and petition, which has now reached nearly 4,000 signatures.

In planning documents, the developer of the site said: “DHL has been committed to consulting with the local community regarding the proposed development of land to the north of the Bell Plantation in Towcester. This application will help provide a sustainable development that meets the social, economic and environmental objectives of the South Northamptonshire Part 2 Local Plan 2011-2029.”

Anyone wishing to add their comments before the deadline on November 16 can do so here.