Northampton Morrisons car park developments: 'Enough is enough'

A McDonald's drive-thru has already been built on the Morrisons car park and planning permission for a Starbucks has also been granted

Fed-up residents and their local councillor have said "enough is enough" over a third development in a nearby supermarket's car park.

A planning application has been submitted by Morrisons to build a new "car store" at their site on Kettering Road in Northampton.

Annoyed neighbours previously objected in vain to a fast food restaurant and a planned coffee shop.

Tory councillor Mike Hallam said: "It is not wanted and it is not needed."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Hallam, in his written objection, said: "Enough is simply enough.

"This is the third development proposed for the car park in quick succession. The two previous ones had a high level of objections from local people."

He said local residents had concerns about the "already over-congested nature of this stretch of the Kettering Road".

"This simply is one development too many," he added.

'Established principle'

One disgruntled resident wrote: "This is a residential area, and the last thing we want to see is a retail park forming in front of us."

However, there had been no objections raised by Northamptonshire County Council's highways team, and Northampton Borough Council's planning department has recommended the application be approved.

A planning statement issued on behalf of Morrisons said the approval of the McDonald's drive-thru had "established the principle of additional retail development" on the site.

It added that the car store "will operate only during the same opening hours as Morrisons".

The borough council's planning committee is due to vote on the application on 3 September.