NEW APPLICATIONS ON THE WALKS TREES IN WELLINGBOUGH
IT’S TIME TO HAVE YOUR SAY!!
Stanton Cross Developments (SCD) have made 3 new applications to North Northants Council (NNC) to do with matters relating to Route 2 and the protected trees on the Walks in Wellingborough. These applications cover the developer’s plans regarding:
- which trees will be felled and which retained, including TPO protected trees (condition 34),
- a survey about the presence and protection of Bats on the site (planning condition 32),
- replacement planting and maintenance plans for Route 2 (conditions 23 and 36)
Open Consultation on these Matters
NNC have said residents and organisations can have a say, and following the High Court judgement on 21st May 2024, NNC extended the consultation until 21 days after the result.
We encourage supporters, residents and anyone wishing to object to do so before 11th June 2024.
How to Have Your Say…There are 3 ways you can do this:
- Using NNC’s on-line planning portal – (see links overleaf)
- Email Duncan Law (the NNC Planning Officer) on planning.bcw@northnorthants.gov.uk)
- Write to: Development Management, North Northamptonshire Council, Wellingborough Office, Swanspool House, Doddington Road, Wellingborough,NN8 1BP.
Whatever method you use you must provide your name and address. If you do not provide these details your comments will not be taken into account
Any problems….
There have been a number of problems using the planning portal so please do check that your contribution has been accepted. It may be easier to just email your objections to the Council or just send them a letter.
If you have any problems please contact NNC directly planning.bcw@northnorthants.gov.uk. Or call 0300 126 3000 and lodge your concern.
Objecting on Relevant Grounds
To object to the applications it is important that the concerns your raise are relevant to the application. For example, objections about the removal of trees (condition 34) could address whether it is necessary to fell the trees and whether there is sufficient evidence to show this. You could also mention include why the trees/the Walks are important to you, and the impact you feel might result if they are removed.
Objections about condition 32 might address whether enough has been done to consider the presence of bats on site, their feeding and commuting routes, and the biodiversity duties of NNC. Biodiversity duties and commitments in the Local Plan may also apply to the replacement planting re-conditions (23 and 36), including whether there is sufficient planting of young new trees to replace mature trees, whether the proposed species of tree selection are appropriate and if not, why not, and please note the impact you feel this would have on you and the environment.
Local Plan – Planning policies that NNC could be undermining if they accept the developer’s new proposals include:
Policy 2 – Historic Environment,
Policy 3 – Landscape character,
Policy 4 – Biodiversity and Geodiversity,
Policy 19 – The delivery of green infrastructure locally,
Policy 20 – Supporting the Nene and Ise Valleys.
You can find these policies in North Northants Joint Core Strategy (2011-2030) here: https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/planning-strategies-and-plans/north-northamptonshire-local-plan
An Alternative Approach
The developer’s new plans show that of the initial 61 TPO trees from the Dog and Duck pub to the river, a total of at least 31 of these trees will be lost if these plans are agreed. 16 trees were lost last year and the developer aims to fell a further 15 in this plan.
We commissioned a highways expert (Simon Watts of SW Transport Planning Ltd) to see if more TPO trees could be saved from the Walks by making a few modifications to the roundabout design. He produced a report in June 2023 showing how most if not all of the TPO trees could be saved and the roundabout layout could still be delivered. Given this report, of the 45 remaining TPO trees only 2 or 3 may be need to be lost to deliver the planned layout. We shared this report with NNC and SCD last year. We had no formal response from either.
To see the Simon Watts report please go to https://saveourtrees.co.uk/proposals/
Taking This Opportunity to Have Your Say – A CALL TO ACTION
This is the first chance residents have had to comment on Stanton Cross Developments’ plans for the protected trees on The Walks, and could be the last, so please take the opportunity to have your say and SAVE OUR TREES.
Helping You Have Your Say…
We have created a number of template letters that you might wish to use to help you object to the Council, these are available to down load from the bottom of this page.
Wellingborough Town Council looked at these applications at the end of April 2024, and they agreed to object to these 3 applications being ‘discharged’ https://www.wellingboroughtowncouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/138/2024/04/1.-Planning-Committee-Agenda-30-04-2024.pdf
The Planning Application references – The 3 planning applications are available at: https://publicaccess.wellingborough.gov.uk/online-applications/
Once on to the Council’s ‘simple search page’, copy the application code below in to the ‘enter keyword……’ field’.
Here are the application references:
- NW/24/00231/CND – the developers’ tree retention/felling plans on the walks – Condition 34
- NW/24/00229/CND – the protection of bats along route 2 including the Walks – Condition 32,
- NW/24/00230/CND – is about replacement planting and maintenance along Route 2 going forward (important in terms of what will replace felled trees and how they will be maintained) – Conditions 23 and 36
Thank you all for your support
Best wishes
Marion Turner-Hawes, Chairperson and Director
Lucy Hennessy, Director
Wellingborough Walks Action Group Ltd
A printable version of this page is available for you to download below:
Application NW/24/00231/CND – Please download a copy of the template letter for Condition 34 from here….
NB – The file above is a MS WORD version that you can download and add your own words
Application NW/24/00229/CND – Bat Protection – condition 32
Please see the template letter for this here
Application – NW/24/00230/CND – relating to conditions 23 and 36 Soft Landscaping and Maintenance