Higham Ferrers' fight to 'get some benefit and not all the negatives' from Rushden East development

A town council has voiced its concerns over the impact of a major new development on its doorstep.

Rushden East is a proposed new development of 2,700 homes on land to the east of the A6 bypass.

With the planning application likely to be submitted later this year, Higham Ferrers Town Council has decided to speak out now to ensure they 'get some benefit and not all the negatives' from the proposed scheme.

A statement from Higham Ferrers Town Council said: "Rushden East Sustainable Urban Extension has always been the aspiration of Rushden.

"Higham Ferrers has reluctantly supported the concept as long as it was located south and only a small section was in Higham.

"Higham Ferrers Neighbourhood Plan supports a mix of residential, community facilities and employment in this area.

"Rushden East is a proposed new development on land to the east of the A6 bypass between the John Clarke Way and Newton Road Roundabouts.

"It is identified within the North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy as a suitable site to meet the long-term housing and employment needs of the area."

The site is being promoted by Barratt Developments and Taylor Wimpey and if it goes ahead, there will be:

- around 2,700 new homes including affordable housing and homes for the older population

- employment opportunities, including offices and industrial premises as well as two local centres, small-scale business space and dwellings suitable for home working or business start-ups

- new schools for local education provision

- a new town park, open greenspace and play areas

- land for a new cemetery and other local community facilities such as allotments

- new links to connect with the wider Greenway network

- an energy strategy to ensure that the highest viable amount of heat and energy used within the development is generated on-site from renewable or low-carbon sources

But the statement from Higham Ferrers Town Council continues: "From the start Higham Ferrers has had to fight to have their views heard.

"As far back as the public hearing for the Core Strategy, the council was asking for the boundary be defined.

"The inspector said in his report the masterplan will need to consider Higham Ferrers Neighbourhood Plan.

"He also said that “the detailed concerns expressed by Higham Ferrers Town Council regarding site boundaries and related matters… .will need to be considered in the masterplan process”.

"Four years later the boundaries have changed little since the concept produced for the Core Strategy.

"There has been no agreement with Higham.

"The Rushden East Board has only one representative from Higham Ferrers Town Council despite lobbying for more, whilst Rushden has seven (two town councillors, four district councillors and 1 county councillor).

"We understand an outline planning application is due before the end of the year, which will include proposals for employment only (B8 (large warehouses) included) in the parish of Higham, a cemetery in Rushden as far south as it could be, and connectivity being pushed towards Rushden town centre.

"The town council wants residents to know this planning application is due, so they can make their voice heard.

"The town council will be considering at their next meetings whether to review the Neighbourhood Plan in the hope this will help.

"This development will affect Higham and the council want to ensure that Higham get some benefit and not all the negatives."

In response to the statement released by the town council, a spokesman for East Northants Council (ENC) said: "When ENC receives the planning application, expected in October, stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment.

"All those comments will be taken into consideration by the appropriate committee.

"As soon as we have a definite date, we will promote the committee meeting on all our channels in the likelihood it will be a virtual meeting."

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive.

We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you