Green light given to build two houses on car park of Northampton supermarket

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Plans to build two homes at the back of a Northampton Co-op have been given the green light by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC).

Space will be taken at the back of a Co-op store in Barry Road, Abington, to build two three-bedroom homes. According to documents submitted by the applicant, Cornerstone 2 Homes Ltd, each house will have two driveway parking spaces at the front.

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However, this would result in a loss in parking spaces in the supermarket car park for customers. Though the car park has been notably underused throughout the day, concerns have been raised by parents over potential safety issues for children at the nearby Barry Primary School.

In total, 14 letters of objection were received from members of the public.

The Co-op is surrounded by other residential housing and is opposite the Barry Primary School.The Co-op is surrounded by other residential housing and is opposite the Barry Primary School.
The Co-op is surrounded by other residential housing and is opposite the Barry Primary School.

Attending to object on behalf of residents of Abington and Phippsville, Councillor Bob Purser said: “We’ve got a very busy primary school where parents have traditionally picked up and dropped off their children [in the car park] at both morning and the afternoon periods so they’re going to lose that facility so that’s going to put additional pressure onto the street.

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“We recognise the need for housing and nobody argues for that more than I do, but this is just for two units, so my concern and the residents’ is really about this congestion it will bring to the area.

“We don’t see that there have been any steps to mitigate that congestion or any steps taken to work with the primary school to ensure that it is safe for children to be dropped off and picked up.”

Highways confirmed that they have visited the site and their views remain unchanged that the effect on highway safety will be “acceptable”. They noted that the development could lead to more cars parking on the street and on double yellow lines but contended that it was not a “justified” reason for refusal.

Councillors unanimously approved the plans at a committee meeting on Wednesday, September 4.

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