Save our green space! Protest over plan to turn Rothwell site into temporary traveller stop

More than 80 people joined a protest over ‘horrifying’ plans to turn a Rothwell green space into a temporary traveller stop.

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) is ploughing ahead with a £1.3m proposal to develop land just off junction 3 of the A14, despite calls to have their decision reversed.

Campaigners say it is a waste of public money that will devastate a wildlife area and they will make a last-ditch bid to have the plan removed from the council’s budget on Thursday (February 22). If they fail, it still has to go through a planning application process.

On Saturday (February 17) councillors and residents gathered near the site to protest against the plan.

Cllr Karl Sumpter, from Rothwell Town Council, said: "This is public money being spent on something that we think is a complete waste. There’s been no consultation and they want to spend the best part of a couple of million quid on it.

"We keep hearing ‘don’t worry, it’s hardly going to be used’, but if that’s the case why spend all this money on it? It’s going to be an eyesore that will ruin the landscape.”

NNC hope to turn the land into an area where travellers passing through the county can temporarily stop for up to 28 days.

They’re planning to stump up £1.3m – although the 10-year sum with interest and running costs will be more than £2m – after the project failed to be awarded Government funding.

Cllr Jim Hakewill (Ind, Rothwell and Mawsley) said he is horrified by the plan and wants the site to be a pocket park instead. He believes there are better locations which are less damaging to ecology and biodiversity and that there is no evidence that a stopping site is needed.

He said: "We wanted to get the word out that this area is at risk of destruction and an amazing number of people came along on Saturday.

"The three NNC councillors for Rothwell were there and listening. We will make a last-ditch effort at Thursday’s full council meeting to have the £1.3m budget removed and have the identification and assessment of locations carried out in the local plan in the spring and finishing in 2026, as it should be.

"I was delighted that we had so many people caring for both the green space and a proper council process to find the best locations.”

Currently there are no stopping places for travellers passing through the NNC area and last year there was at least 19 unauthorised encampments. Police have powers to direct traveller groups to go to the temporary stopping place.

Cllr David Howes (Con), NNC’s executive member for rural communities and localism, said: "The creation of a 'temporary travellers stop' with appropriate facilities is of benefit to both the travellers themselves and to the wider community. Apart from providing suitable and sanitary provision, it also enables the authority to work with the police to move those who create unauthorised sites more hastily – to a better place.

“The authority undertook a review of all its land assets to identify the most suitable site and this one was selected as being the most fitting to ensure we can provide the necessary and appropriate facilities.

“Any impact on the local environment will be fully considered as part of any forthcoming planning application. Appropriate arboriculture surveys and ecological appraisals will take place as part of any planning application and be considered appropriately.

"The current site is unmanaged green space accessible to the public, but it is not maintained or allocated as a recreation ground. Again, the development of the land, and any impact on current informal uses, will be considered as part of the planning process going forward."