Inquiry starts into 'gold rush' of warehousing

Campaigners from the Staunch residents' group attended the council planning meeting and the inquiry

Campaigners have told a public inquiry that a planned logistics hub would be a "gold rush" for developers, but a "monstrosity" for residents.

A planning inspector will make a decision on the proposal for Castle Manor Farm in Thrapston, Northamptonshire, after the local council took too long to decide.

The inquiry at Kettering Leisure Village began on Tuesday and is expected to take 10 days.

The developer said there was an unmet need for logistics facilities in the area.

The proposal involves building 200,000 sq m (239,198 sq yards) of warehousing at the farm, next to Haldens Parkway and the A14.

The inquiry was told logistics firm DHL had already signed up as a tenant in the first warehouse.

Developer Equites Newlands appealed after three years passed without North Northamptonshire Council making a decision on the plans.

The council said last month it would have rejected the proposal, but the decision was now out of its hands.

Independent councillor James Hakewill said the proposal would "disrupt the landscape"

James Hakewill, an independent councillor on the Reform UK-led authority, told the inquiry: "We don't see it as a 'golden triangle' for logistics; we see it as a golden opportunity to make money out of our countryside.

"We should reject this gold rush of warehousing coming upon us and disrupting our local landscape."

Titchmarsh parish councillor Sylvia Prestwich said: "It is many times bigger than the residential village of Titchmarsh itself.

"I can imagine it will feel like living in the shadow of a huge, overpowering and overburdening monstrosity."

The inquiry is being held at Kettering Leisure Village

The barrister representing North Northamptonshire Council, Gary Grant, said there were "serious conflicts" between the plans and its Joint Core Strategy, as the land was not allocated for this kind of development.

Rupert Warren KC, representing Equites Newlands, said there was an unmet need for logistics facilities along the A14.

He added that the council's key policies were out of date and the proposal was in line with the government's ambition to grow the economy, creating about 2,700 jobs.

The proposal is for land next to Haldens Parkway, near the A14

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said three more developers that supported logistics infrastructure in the area were being represented at the inquiry.

Paul Stinchcombe KC, representing the Staunch campaign group, said there was "no urgent need for this sensitive countryside site to be sacrificed for this development".

The inquiry continues.