Detailed plans for huge employment site near Northamptonshire town set for approval despite objections
Detailed plans for an employment site near a Northamptonshire town are set for approval despite receiving more than 100 objections from members of the public.
The project, which will be known as Towcester Park, was given outline approval in 2022 for 45 acres of new employment space for small to medium-sized enterprises. The site is located to the north of Towcester, above the A43 bypass, and already has permission to create a new roundabout to help traffic filter into the site.
Plans will go to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) next week to get approval for the exact layout and size of buildings on the new business park. IM Properties has submitted details for the larger parcel of land to the east of Tiffield Road, which intersects the employment zone.
In the first plot directly next to the new A43 roundabout, the applicant has proposed a single building that will be used for either warehouse and distribution or general industrial purposes. According to planning documents, the metal cladding building would have nearly 15,000 sqm floorspace and a height of 15.5 metres.
In the second plot of land directly to the east of Tiffield Road, IM Properties has said it will build another large warehouse for distribution or general industrial use. The unit will be bigger than its neighbouring plot and has a total height of 21 metres and a 43,500sqm floorspace.
The units will be made of the same material and adopt a colour-banded approach from dark grey to light grey at the top to help blend into the surroundings. The application also includes the in-plot landscaping and planting of native hedge rows, shrubs and extra heavy trees as screening.
Both parcels will have their own parking, loading and service areas for HGVs and a separate area for staff cars. Each building also includes its own office block incorporated into the space.
Plans will turn Towcester into ‘motorway style distribution centre’
Objections to the plans have been submitted by Whittlebury, Easton Neston, Abthorpe and Greens Norton Parish Councils, Towcester Town Council, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE), and local group Save Towcester Now. Many related to the impact the development would have on wildlife in the area, an increase in traffic for the town, the size and height of the buildings and concerns that the development will result in poor quality employment.
One person described the proposed units as “monstrous”. They said: “The area to be built on is currently a beautiful greenfield sight, including the destruction of the sb32 public right of way, these current plans will destroy habitats for the local wildlife and scare the landscape for generations.
“This planning application is turning Towcester, a small beautiful market town, with centuries of history, into an ugly and overpowered motorway style distribution centre.”
Plans will go to WNC’s strategic planning committee for a decision next Tuesday (March 18). Each plot has a separate planning application that will be assessed by councillors. Officers have recommended that members approve both the development proposals.