®Planning appeal decision
Sand And Gravel Quarry Land, Huntingdon Road, Thrapston, Northamptonshire, NN14 3EQ
a hybrid planning application comprising storage and distribution (Use Class B8) space with ancillary offices; associated infrastructure including earthworks, parking, servicing; and landscaping including new public access links into the site (Outline); with full details of access, and the erection of a storage and distribution unit (Use Class B8) with ancillary offices, access, parking, servicing and landscaping, and, the demolition of all existing buildings and structures, and the re-alignment of an existing farm track (Full)
- Authority
- North Northamptonshire
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Inquiry
- Development
- employment-industrial · Major general industry/storage/warehousing
- Inspector
- Catchpole R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- the effect on the character and appearance of the surrounding area with regard to the open countryside
- whether it would preserve the settings, as they relate to the special interest of the Grade I listed buildings known as the "Church of St Mary the Virgin" (Ref: 1265555), the "Church of All Saints" (Ref: 1191528) and the "Church of St Peter" (Ref: 1040308), the Grade II* listed building known as the "Church of St Michael and All Angels (Ref: 1227141) and the significance of Titchmarsh Conservation Area
- the effect on the significance of scheduled monuments known as "Titchmarsh Roman Town" (Ref: 1485751) and "Titchmarsh Castle Moated Site and Fishponds" (Ref: 1011038) as well as a non-designated heritage asset comprising Castle Manor Farm
- whether there would be an adverse effect on the integrity of the Upper Nene Gravel Pits Special Protection Area and Ramsar site
- whether it would preserve the special scientific interest of Titchmarsh Meadows Site of Special Scientific Interest
- whether it would be in a sustainable location with regard to limiting the need to travel and ensuring a genuine choice of transport modes
- the effect of the proposal on the safe and efficient operation of the highway network
- whether there is an established employment and logistics need for the proposal
- whether the site is appropriate for development having regard to local and national planning policies that seek to manage the location of new development
What decided it
The significant unmet need for logistics development along the A14 corridor and the substantial economic and social benefits of the scheme outweighed the identified harms to landscape character, heritage assets, and the plan-led spatial strategy.
The significant benefits of meeting unmet logistics need, economic growth and employment outweighed the moderate harm to plan-led development and landscape character, the less-than-substantial (lower end) heritage harm, and limited harm from loss of BMV, historic hedgerows and a non-designated heritage asset.
Framework references: 11, 50, 51, 56, 57, 86, 87, 110, 115, 116, 118, 194, 212, 213, 215
Plan policies cited: Policy 1, Policy 2, Policy 3, Policy 4, Policy 5, Policy 8, Policy 9, Policy 10, Policy 11, Policy 15, Policy 16, Policy 22, Policy 23, Policy 24, Policy EN1, Policy EN2, Policy EN5, Policy EN10, Policy EN11, Policy EN12, Policy EN13, Policy EN15
Judgments cited: Smyth v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2015] EWCA Civ 174; Shadwell Estates v Breckland DC and Pigeon (Thetford) Ltd [2013] EWHC 12 (Admin); Visao Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Chiltern DC [2019] EWHC 276; Paul Newman Homes v SSHCLG [2021] EWCA Civ 15; Wavendon Properties Ltd v SSHCLG and Milton Keynes Council [2019] EWHC 1524 (Admin); Peel Investments v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government [2020] EWCA Civ 1175; Stevens v SSCLG & Guildford BC [2013] EWHC 792 (Admin)
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.