Villagers divided over plans for gym, shop and spa complex

Villagers are divided over plans to build a new service centre with a supermarket, gym, local convenience store and pharmacy.

Ekeney Consulting has applied to West Northamptonshire Council to build a complex off Northampton Road, in Brixworth, close to the village's cricket and tennis club.

While one resident said the proposal was "ugly", another welcomed the prospect of additional amenities.

West Northamptonshire Council is due to make a decision on the plans by 15 August.

Concerns have been raised that the new complex would bringing more traffic and pollution onto roads, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

One resident, in comments to the council, wrote that the centre would be an "ugly eye sore in an otherwise beautiful village".

Another said: "We do not want to grow to a small town."

The proposals included 16 affordable homes to the west of the cricket club and a brand-new spa and wellness centre.

There had been some support and one person wrote: "Living on the new build estate in Brixworth myself, there is a requirement for additional amenities."

They added that any additional traffic was unlikely to "affect those living deeper in the village".

Others also praised the location and inclusion of facilities that were "lacking" in the area such as a supermarket and pharmacy.

One resident said the prospect of a gym and wellness centre nearby when rural transport was "limited" appealed to them.

Final comments on the plans are due in at the end of next week.

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