MP concerned about revised 'energy park' masterplan

An MP has voiced strong concerns about a revised masterplan for a warehousing development.

Plans for Kettering Energy Park, near Burton Latimer in Northamptonshire, were put forward last year and include 30m-high (98ft) warehouses alongside an existing wind farm.

The developer said it had been revised, with the maximum height of the warehouses now 25m-high (82ft).

Tom Pursglove, the Conservative MP for Corby, recently held a meeting between councillors, campaigners and the developer to discuss the very strong objections to the plans.

In an update on his website, Mr Pursglove said: "I think the proposed site is completely unsuitable for an industrial estate, and that it would have significant negative impacts on the environment, local traffic, and the character of many of our surrounding rural communities."

The masterplan is currently subject to a consultation, which runs until 15 May.

Among the changes, the developer First Renewable Developments said there would be less warehousing and more biodiversity net gain.

North Northamptonshire Council said the proposal fitted with the Joint Core Strategy (or Local Plan) for North Northamptonshire, which identified land at Burton Wold as the main area of local opportunity for an "energy park".

More than 3,500 people have signed a petition against the plans.

Kevin Binley, who lives in Great Addington, close to the proposed development, said: "Their revised masterplan actually contains very few substantive changes.

"They make much of a reduction of the total amount dedicated to warehouses and industrial units, but the whole of their planned site hasn't actually reduced in size and any part of it could be changed later with a planning application to add more warehouses."

Mr Binley said the plan was "a cynical attempt to play on UK food and energy security concerns".

Following the consultation, First Renewable Developments proposed to make further amendments, reporting the outcome to the council before submitting planning applications.

The masterplan would form part of the application.

North Northamptonshire Council said it was encouraging "all interested parties" to take part in the consultation.

"The council will analyse and take note of the consultation responses," David Brackenbury, executive member for growth and regeneration, said.

First Renewable Developments said it was a "pioneering project... setting a new benchmark for commercial developments within the planning system".

It said in a statement it had "undertaken extensive consultation with the local community over the last year and we continue to proactively engage with interested parties as part of this ongoing process".

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