Plans go in for Rushden Living scheme which could create more than 500 jobs

The scheme known as Rushden Living has been designed to complement the Rushden Lakes development.

It is proposed for land to the west of Rushden Lakes and comprises of 15 individual buildings, with the units being a mixture of retail, restaurant, office and physiotherapy/leisure floorspace.

Documents submitted as part of the hybrid application, which has just been submitted to East Northants Council for consideration, state: “Rushden Living will provide a dedicated home and lifestyle development which complements the adjacent facilities at Rushden Lakes.

“The proposals will be sympathetic to the site’s surrounding environment and reflect the principles of sustainable design.

“The siting, scale and appearance of the buildings has been carefully considered to create a village character with a natural palette of materials proposed.

“A series of ponds and drainage basins will provide water attenuation from the site and connect into the existing infrastructure of lakes and marsh and drains to the north and northwest of the site.

“The Ditchford Road link road will provide access to Rushden Living from the west and forms a distinct boundary to the northern edge of the proposed built development.”

If the plans get the go-ahead, one of the units will accommodate Made In Northamptonshire, a local charitable enterprise supporting food and drink producers in the county.

And the scheme would also provide a jobs boost for the area.

The economic report submitted as part of the plans states: “The Rushden Living proposed development is expected to create up to 513 direct jobs; some 144 are likely to be secured for local residents, 245 jobs for residents of other parts of North Northamptonshire (390 including all jobs being in North Northamptonshire) and 124 for those living outside of North Northamptonshire.

“Adding indirect jobs, a total of up to 712 jobs will be created (excluding seasonal jobs) and of these, 159 jobs will be created for people living in Rushden/East Northants.”

The hybrid application is for the erection of retail units, restaurant units, office floorspace, physiotherapy/leisure floorspace, access, footpaths, parking and servicing space, as well as construction of a new link road between Ditchford Road and Rushden Lakes

For more information on the application, search for 18/01197/FUL on the planning page of the East Northants Council website.