Concrete barriers installed on council land to prevent continued work at Rothwell roadside site
Concrete barriers have been placed on North Northants Council (NNC)-owned land that gives access to a roadside strip of land in Rothwell.
Police have been called twice by residents after workers moved in to clear trees and shrubs from land adjacent to Harrington Road, that backs on to multiple homes on the Harrington Grange estate.
Clearance work began last Wednesday (November 5) when machinery was moved on to the site – a remnant of the old road made redundant by a reconfiguring of Harrington Road.
A plot of land covering part of the site was bought at auction for £15,500 in May 2024, but access is via the grass verge owned by the local authority NNC.
No permission has been sought to develop the land since 2012 when a planning application for a change of use to provide a residential caravan site for two pitches with associated hardstanding, fencing and gates was submitted to the then planning authority Kettering Borough Council. The application – KET/2012/0064 – was refused.
Work continued to clear the site, but on Friday evening a row of concrete barriers was placed across the access point.
Cllr Martin Griffiths, leader of NNC, said: “I can confirm that planning permission has not been obtained, and consequently enforcement action is taking place at this site including the placing of large concrete barriers on council owned land to prevent access and egress.”
On Saturday, police attended the site again after work continued – one of the machines had been blocked on to the site, but could still be used.
A spokesman for Northants Police said: “The incident in Thompson Way appears to be a dispute over land. It would appear members of the travelling community have purchased the land at auction and were onsite clearing it.
"This has raised concerns locally, but it a civil matter and therefore sits with the local authority and not the police.”
Yesterday, machinery had gone and one of the heavy barriers had been moved aside.
Approximately 20 homes back onto the land with the site overlooking houses that were built by Persimmon Homes on the land between the A14 and Harrington Road in 2014.
A North Northants Council spokesman said: “North Northamptonshire Council are aware of works taking place at this site and are monitoring this closely.”