The big applications granted planning permission in Northampton this week

The borough council’s planning committee convened at The Guildhall on April 16, and approved all but one of the 15 applications they heard. Here’s a rundown of their decisions.

APPROVED: Community hall extension for Rectory Farm Community Centre

The £250k refurbishment of the centre was quickly agreed by the planning committee. It will include a single-storey extension to create the new hall. It also includes the addition of both toilets and a store in the existing hall, and a new outside play area in the courtyard.

Rectory Farm Residents' Association chairman Toby Birch said the centre ‘couldn’t accommodate all the requests to use it’, while ward councillor James Hill also lent support.

He said: "We've been working on this for years. It will be a massive improvement on what we have currently."

APPROVED: Erection of 115 new dwellings on former Blackthorn Middle School site

Councillor Hill was also supportive of the application from Countryside Properties to finally make use of the former school site on Blackthorn Road which has been empty for years.

The site will include 12x one bedroom homes, 25 x two bedroom homes, 68 x three bedroom homes and 10 x four bedroom homes.

Councillor Hill said: "This application ticks many boxes. Residents have known this site will be developed for some time. I just hope that the 35 per cent of affordable homes remains at that level."

REFUSED: Change of use from home to House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) for five occupants at 25 Alcombe Road

Ward councillor Danielle Stone objected to the proposals, and her concerns were taken on board by the committee, which refused the application.

The four-storey scheme was rejected due to the ‘scale and layout of the proposed development’.

APPROVED: Conversion and alterations of existing dwelling/outbuildings to form three new apartments at 98 Euston Road.

Despite objections from ward councillor Julie Davenport and a neighbour, the committee could find no planning grounds on which to refuse the application.

APPROVED: Conversion of single dwellinghouse to form three new flats at 96 Lea Road

Planning officers said the proposal - which would convert an existing four bedroom house to three self-contained one bedroom flats - was considered ‘acceptable’ and would not ‘unduly impact on the character of the street scene’.

APPROVED: Variation of S106 agreement to amend the type of affordable housing provision on development land at Lancaster Way

Applicants Barry Howard Homes applied to vary the composition of affordable housing for the development site, which has been used as allotments in the past. The affordable housing would remain at the 35 per cent level, but would now be made up of 32 homes on affordable rent, and 18 on the Rentplus model.

APPROVED: Installation of advertising hoarding at St Peter’s Way

Councillors approved the erection of signage on existing hoardings at the ‘Four Waterside’ site on St Peter’s Way.

NORTHAMPTON PARTNERSHIP HOMES APPLICATIONS

Eight applications from NPH were discussed by the committee, and all were approved. They were as follows:

Demolition of four domestic garages and erection of two two-bedroom flats with car parking spaces at the lock-up garages adjacent to 2 Orchard Close.

Demolition of 13 domestic garages and erection of two new build units and car parking at the lock-up garages at Cherry Close.

Retention of container for use as offices and storage space adjacent to the community centre at Brunswick Place for a further two years.

Installation of hydraulic car park barrier at car park adjacent to Duston Community Centre on Pendle Road.

Four applications to renew windows and install wheelie bin enclosures were also approved at 28-35 Spenfield Court; 28-35 Waypost Court; 10-21 Stonebridge Court and 33-40 Stonebridge Court.