Warehouse plan to go before council despite appeal

Proposals for a large warehousing development will be discussed by a council planning committee despite being the subject of an appeal.

Equites Newlands (Thrapston East) wants to build units on about 60 hectares (about 150 acres) of farmland known as Castle Manor Farm, next to the A14, in Northamptonshire.

The Planning Inspectorate will assess the plans for near Thrapston and Titchmarsh after North Northamptonshire Council failed to make a decision last year.

But the authority has published a report stating that the committee would have been given a recommendation to approve the application had it not gone to the inspectorate.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council's decision on whether to grant permission will be used as evidence for the inspectorate and will be reflected in its decision.

If approved at appeal, all buildings would be restricted to a maximum height of 24m (80ft) and would be able to cover a maximum of 200,000 sq m (2.2 million sq ft).

Campaign group Staunch (Save Titchmarsh and Upper Nene Countryside and Habitats) has maintained its strong objections to the site throughout the planning process.

It said the plan would have a damaging impact on roads and the environment, and more storage and distribution units were not needed locally.

The council said there had been more than 800 comments made on the plans, with the vast majority objecting to them.

A number of nearby parish councils also objected.

The developer said the application was in "direct response to very strong market demand for additional employment sites and premises in the area".

The planning committee will look at the application on Wednesday, while the inquiry is scheduled to begin on 22 July, according to the Planning Inspectorate.

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