Wellingborough tree campaigners tell council and developers 'please get on with it' as road decision stalls

Wellingborough Walks Action Group (WWAG) was set up by residents to take on Stanton Cross Developments, builders of a huge housing estate in Wellingborough, and North Northants Council (NNC), the planning authority – after contractors moved in to fell dozens of trees protected by tree preservation orders to make way for a new link road known as Route Two.

In a ‘David vs Goliath’ battle, WWAG raised more than £70,000 to pay for an expert lawyer to have their case heard in a judicial review at the High Court in London this May.

After an application of three crucial planning conditions relating to Route 2 and the trees on London Road were submitted to NNC, more than 500 objections were lodged.

Marion Turner-Hawes, chair of WWAG, said: “Our message to NNC and Stanton Cross Developments is ‘please get on with making a decision’ – why is it taking six months?

“WWAG members refute claims that any of our actions are holding up the delivery of Route Two, and by implication, the provision of further housing at Stanton Cross. This is clearly not the case. Throughout this long saga we have, at all times provided information asked of us in a complete and timely manner, held off going for Judicial Review fully and paid extra to allow time to find a local solution through alternative dispute resolution.

“Far from delaying the process, we have constantly worked for urgent resolution, and can see no good reason for delay by SCD or NNC. Indeed, since April the decision date for these applications has been put back four times, and with the next deadline being November 6, 2024 – less than two weeks – it’s likely the decision will once again be put back.”

So far WWAG and its supporters have raised £71,000 which has covered legal costs and been used to commission a highways expert to produce plans to save as many of the legally protected trees as possible.

Ms Turner-Hawes said: “The highways expert advises that in the 40 years in this work he has never known a situation such as this where the council and the developer do not sit down and discuss reasonable modifications to a highway design, particularly where the kind of adjustments suggested are commonplace in any Section 278 process which the council and developer must conclude before a new road layout can be signed off.”

The group has urged NNC to set a date for its planning committee to determine the three applications and make a decision as a matter of urgency.

Ms Turner Hawes added: “We want them to ensure local residents, other parties and WWAG members have a chance to address the planning committee as part of that decision-making process, to make sure the decision made is fully compliant with the High Court’s judgement and work to ensure that local residents do not need to use our own money again to make sure the council does its job correctly.

“We remind the council, that should NNC fail to discharge this application process as required by planning law, and in accordance with the High Court’s determination, we will once again seek redress through Judicial Review.”