Planners agree to more restaurants at Rushden Lakes

Rushden Lakes development includes a hotel, leisure centre, shops and restaurants

Proposals to increase the size of a £50m shopping and leisure development have been approved.

On Wednesday East Northamptonshire Council backed plans to add a further five restaurants to the unbuilt Rushden Lakes complex.

In all, the development at the old Skew Bridge ski club site in Northamptonshire will now boast eight restaurants.

Planners also approved proposals for an additional 154 car parking spaces.

The original plans had catered for a 1,300-space car park.

The complex will feature a home and garden centre, shops, a drive-through restaurant, lakeside visitor centre, restaurants and a boathouse. Marks & Spencer is expected to be the anchor store.

Public inquiry

It is predicted to create 2,000 jobs.

The development had been approved by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles following a public inquiry after concerns about its impact on nearby town centres.

The matter had been referred to Mr Pickles, who called in the application for further scrutiny.

Developer LXB Retail Properties submitted its original application for the derelict brownfield site in 2011.