Campaigners raise £17K for Towcester warehouse planning appeal
A campaign group fighting plans for a logistics hub has raised thousands to fight an appeal.The DHL logistics firm has challenged West Northamptonshire Council's decision to refuse permission for the development on the edge of Towcester in Northamptonshire."Save Towcester Now" said the hub would "dominate the landscape" and generate a lot of new traffic.DHL said the council's decision to reject the plan was "very disappointing" as there were no statutory objections.
DHL's proposal would cover an area of farmland equivalent to 45 football pitches.It includes a 26,200 sq m warehouse and development land for further buildings with a maximum height of 21.5m.DHL said it would offer "the highest standards of sustainable development" and more than 1,200 jobs.
Protesters described the scheme as "a monstrosity" which would have generated "traffic and pollution".Councillors were advised by their officers to grant permission in September 2024, but decided to refuse consent because of the visual impact of the development and the increase in traffic it would cause.DHL lodged an appeal in November and a hearing will take place on 18 February. Evidence will be collected until 28 January.Save Towcester Now said the funds it has raised - almost £17,000 - would be used for its legal and professional costs for the appeal.The planning inspector could overturn the Conservative-controlled council's decision.
Isla Whitcroft, who co-founded the Save Towcester Now campaign, said: "We are extremely grateful for the donations that have come through so rapidly."This shows the full support of Towcester and the surrounding areas to Save Towcester Now and against this development."You don't get this money so quickly if people aren't really, really worried."
Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
6 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Regeneration plan for Seafield 'unrealistic' landowners say
The authority's latest 10-year development plan, running through to 2032, designates the 40-hectare area as a 'potential housing site' and a masterplan has now been drawn up. Alongside new properties, a school, GP surgery, shops and cafes, it shows a new waterfront park and promenade to connect with the one at Portobello. Hundreds of new affordable homes at Seafield will 'help address the city's housing emergency' amid a record 5,000 homeless households in the capital, council planning convener James Dalgleish said last year. Read more from our new investigation, The Future of Edinburgh: However the ambitious project is unlikely to come to fruition for decades yet, largely due to a number of hurdles. Chief among them is landowners unwilling to sell up. The relocation of Lothian Buses' Marine Depot, at the east of the site, also poses a significant challenge. 'They don't necessarily want to move' Iain Whyte, the Conservative councillor for Craigentinny-Duddingston, which includes Seafield, told The Herald: 'The biggest blocker, frankly, to anything happening there is the landowners of a significant chunk of it have tenants in place, a steady income, that suits their financial and business model and they don't want to change that. 'When they speak, they speak on behalf of some of the others that are there as well and I think that means this, if it's a plan that's going to work, you're probably talking 20 years before you see anything significantly change there. 'I just think the biggest problem the council has got is that it allocated that site for nearly 3,000 houses in its plan for the city, the 2030 City Plan for development, to try and find the housing numbers that are needed for the growing population. 'Doing things like that when there's no prospect of it being developed within the timescales they're talking about gives you an indication of why we're not meeting the housing numbers needed — and is the real reason, if any, why they're having to declare a housing emergency.' He added: 'I don't know if anyone's ever asked Lothian Buses where they think they're going to move their depot to. Because I don't think it's easy for them. It's fine for the council to sit there and say 'oh well, car showrooms aren't a very good use of the land' but there's an awful lot more in there and they don't necessarily want to move.' 'Their land should not be considered for housing' Council documents reveal some developers hold concerns about 'timescales and the difficulty of delivering a masterplan when such a small area of the plan is actually capable of coming forward in the short/medium term'. They also show that Royal London, which owns Seafield Industrial Estate covering a large part of the proposed development site, 'do not support proposals for residential development on their site'. In their response to a consultation on City Plan 2030, an agent representing the pensions and investment giant warned that the site 'does not present a realistic option for residential development'. They said: 'The owner [...] has no intention of releasing the land for housing use over the Plan period and their land holding should not be considered for residential or urban area housing led mixed use.' The response went on to say Royal London was not approached by the council prior to the land being identified for consideration for redevelopment. 'The identification of their land holding for this purpose is considered to be inappropriate,' it said. Proposed redevelopment site at Seafield (Image: City of Edinburgh Council) The estate, consisting of 18 fully let industrial units, has been under the company's ownership for over 25 years, is 'one of the larger complete industrial holdings' within their property fund. The agent said 'significant capital investment' has been directed into the industrial units in recent years including 'acquisition of adjacent holdings, replacement roofs, cladding renewal, unit subdivision and road/service yard replacement ensuring the accommodation is fit for modern requirements'. They added: 'Tenants undertake a range of business operations comprising urban industry, trades, distribution and local services which support their local market, of which a significant proportion comprises the established urban area of north east Edinburgh. 'The removal of an established employment area against a backdrop of limited industrial supply and constrained demand will only serve to exacerbate poverty rates in the local area.' Royal London was contacted for comment. Read more from The Future of Edinburgh series: Councillor Whyte compared the plan to proposals for the local authority's ongoing regeneration of Granton Waterfront 'which we were talking about developing 30 years ago and is only now starting to come to fruition'. He said: 'I think this will take a very long time indeed.' Asked about the prospect of the council using Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) in a bid to accelerate work, he said: 'That would be incredibly expensive and the council doesn't have much money. 'We're in the top five most indebted councils in the UK, so would it make sense to go further into debt and have the interest payments to CPO land that private individuals and companies are making best use of in the market at the moment?' However, he added it was 'useful to have a masterplan so you don't get piecemeal development along there'. 'Fabulous opportunity' Cathy Maclean from Action Porty, the community group behind Scotland's first ever urban community land buy out in Portobello, agreed it would be 'quite a while before things get going' as 'a lot of the people who own those sites don't want to sell and have no plans to sell'. But she stressed the site presented a 'fabulous opportunity' as there were so few capital cities with 'a brownfield site right on the beach to develop". Seafield is currently mostly car showrooms and industrial units (Image: Google) She said more housing was badly needed and 'so much' had been built in Portobello in recent years 'with a dramatic loss of amenities at the same'. This led Action Porty to successfully complete a community buyout of Portobello Old Parish Church after the Church of Scotland announced its intention to sell the property. It reopened as Bellfield, a community centre, in 2018. Maclean said if the Seafield redevelopment ever goes ahead it would be 'welcome from Portobello as a sort of sister community, rather than particularly part of it,' however added: 'In practice it will become a part of Portobello because that's the way people are, they enjoy walking along the Prom. 'At some point it's all going to join up between Leith and right the way along Seahaven.' 'There has to be continuity between the two areas' While Seafield's regeneration is clearly still a long-way off, some details in the masterplan are already raising eyebrows. The council's visualisation of what the area could look like one day shows people enjoying the would-be promenade and leafy waterfront park. 'If you look at it it looks amazing,' said Kirsty Pattison, chair of Craigentinny and Meadowbank Community Council, whose boundary includes Seafield, 'but if you dig into the details and look at what the masterplanning is and the height of the buildings proposed, it doesn't correlate with that picture at all.' A visualisation of the council's Seafield masterplan (Image: City of Edinburgh Council) She said in terms of the height of the buildings there is 'tension between what it's supposed to look like and what is actually being proposed'. 'What they're proposing, from the top of the prom if you're looking south-east it gives you expansive views of the beach and you can see Joppa. Some of that might be lost, so it's important to preserve this place.' Ensuring the new neighbourhood is well connected with adjacent communities will be crucial, Ms Pattison said. 'We want to make sure there's improved landscape connections between Craigentinny and Seafield, because Seafield is part of our district. 'There has to be continuity between the two areas so we can preserve popular beach walks. 'There's a beach walk that connects Craigentinny to the western part of the beach and we want that put into the masterplan to make sure it's preserved. That is vital. People use it all the time - it's such a popular connection.' 'There's also issues around rising sea levels, it's all fine and well saying we're going to redevelop Seafield - but what are we going to put in place for flooding?' Ms MacLean similarly raised concerns over the impact of climate change in the future. 'I don't think you can say any flood defences are going to be effective when you don't know what's coming,' she said. 'A lot of the standards these environmental consultants look at are based on what used to be called once in every 200 year chance of flooding. That's changed quite dramatically. Nobody really knows, if the truth be told.' Edinburgh Council said the risk of coastal flooding 'is increasing due to rising sea levels and coastal erosion caused by climate change,' adding: 'This is a key consideration in the redevelopment of Seafield.' Since initial engagement about the plans in 2023 'we have needed to take additional time to engage with a range of stakeholders,' it said. 'This is to ensure that places are developed along the coastline that are resilient in the face of climate change impacts'. Read more: Now, the authority is preparing a Coastal Change Adaptation Plan and said it will 'update the draft masterplan in line with the recommendations'. The 'Seafield stench' One of the biggest constraints historically associated with making the area residential has been the 'Seafield stench' from the waste water treatment plant to the west - the largest of its kind in Scotland. Odours emitting from the works are a longstanding issue. Between 2022 and 2024 Scottish Water and Veolia invested over £10 million to add additional capacity and address concerns around the smells. However, the council said last year the issue 'has not been fully resolved at this time'. It said: 'The Council, along with SEPA, carry out ongoing monitoring of odours relating to the Works. However, the council does not have the ability to force all odours to be stopped. 'Scottish Water has committed to developing a new facility to replace the Seafield facility after 2030. This should be considered alongside the timescales of the masterplan as it is likely to reduce the impact of odours around the facility. 'Odours relating to the Works are not a significant issue for the bulk of the masterplan area. However, if odours persist, this is likely to shape how development of the northernmost part of the area comes forward.'
South Wales Argus
8 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Senedd members hail Newport as ‘a city on the rise'
John Griffiths began a debate on the city by quoting business journalist Douglas Friedli, who wrote: 'Best thing about London? It's less than two hours from Newport.' Mr Griffiths agreed with the journalist's assessment, describing Newport as a place with a significant past, a strong present and a promising future. Newport has been dubbed a 'city on the rise' (Image: NQ) The Senedd member, who was born in Pill after his mother moved from Ireland, said the city has long welcomed people from all over the world who want to make Newport their home. With many moving from across the border from Bristol in recent years, he told the Senedd the city's population has increased by nearly 10% to 160,000 over the past decade. 'There really is a sense of the city growing in confidence and being on the rise,' he said. Mr Griffiths, who will stand down next May having represented Newport East since 1999, said the city is quickly becoming central to the world in terms of the semiconductor industry. He welcomed the opening of KLA's new £100m research and development centre in the west of Newport in May, creating around 750 jobs. KLA opened a new research and development centre in Newport in May (Image: KLA) The former barrister pointed to 14 semiconductor businesses in a 30-mile radius, saying: 'All of that powering the everyday technology that we all use and rely upon.' And, highlighting the city's Roman and Chartist history as well as the iconic transporter bridge, Mr Griffiths described Newport's cultural offer as equally impressive. 'In fact, between 2015 and 2022, Newport saw the fastest growth in the creative sector of any city in Wales – at an astonishing 125%,' he said. Mr Griffiths, a proud grandfather who ran Saturday's riverfront parkrun with his 11-year-old grandson, also emphasised Newport's notable sporting history and present. Newport celebrated 20 years of parkrun in the city in October 2024 (Image: NQ) Recognising challenges around transport and congestion, he urged ministers to back the Burns commission blueprint and proposals for four new railway stations in Newport. Natasha Asghar, the Newport-born Conservative who represents South Wales East, described the city as a wonderful place to grow up. 'I love the fact that Newport is a diverse place,' she said. 'There are so many different people from so many different communities who all get on coherently, cohesively with each other and they're the ones who truly bring the place to life.' Proclaiming Newport's location as 'unbeatable', Ms Asghar called for better transport links. She also criticised the UK Government's 'short-sighted' decision to cut the shared prosperity fund, saying this has resulted in significant job losses across the city. Plaid Cymru's Peredur Owen Griffiths, who also represents South Wales East, highlighted that the Urdd Eisteddfod will be coming to Newport in 2027. Newport is set to host the Urdd Eisteddfod in 2027 (Image: Eisteddfod) Responding to the debate on June 4, Jayne Bryant pointed to Welsh Government funding for leisure centres, refurbishment of Market Arcade and the former railway station building. Arcadia is one of the businesses at the Arcade (Image: NQ) She said Newport's economic evolution is being shaped by semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and energy, positioning the city as a 'hi-tech leader with global influence'. Ms Bryant, who is responsible for councils and housing in Wales, hailed Vishay's acquisition of Newport Wafer Fab in 2024 which was accompanied by a £300m investment. The Newport West Senedd member said: 'Through the strategic investment in renewal, culture and community, and engagement with the local authority, businesses and community groups will all help to shape a vibrant, modern city ready to seize future opportunities.'
Reuters
a day ago
- Reuters
Wall Street's potential winners and losers from Trump's tax bill
June 5 (Reuters) - As President Donald Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending bill heads to the Senate, analysts examine how his broad-ranging policies could turn the fortunes of U.S. companies if the package is enacted as law. What Trump has dubbed a "big, beautiful bill", narrowly passed the Republican-controlled House on May 22. The bill seeks to extend tax breaks, set during Trump's first term in 2017 and on track to expire at the end of 2025, for multinational corporations. It is also expected to fulfill many of Trump's populist campaign pledges, including an immigration crackdown and ending some green energy incentives. The tax breaks are largely expected to be positive for the U.S. stock markets, but some analysts see only a modest upside. "Since the 2025 tax cuts are primarily an extension of the current tax code, we expect changes to provide only marginal benefits to equity performance," Morgan Stanley analysts said in a note last month. Overall, the bill is expected to add about $2.4 trillion to the $36.2 trillion U.S. debt pile, the Congressional Budget Office said on Wednesday. Here is a list of industries and companies that are likely to be affected by the bill: Defense companies could see renewed interest from investors as the new bill looks to step up spending on air and missile defense, munitions and border security. "There should be some benefit there to the defense contractors," said Chris Haverland, global equity strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "We currently rate industrials at a neutral. There'll be some offsets there, but there should be some benefits to the defense area." Brian Mulberry, client portfolio manager at Zacks Investment Management, named defense contractors RTX (RTX.N), opens new tab and General Dynamics (GD.N), opens new tab as potential beneficiaries. The iShares US Aerospace & Defense ETF is trading at all-time highs. Shares of U.S. solar companies slumped on May 22, as the bill aims to cancel funding for green-energy grant programs, which were established under the Biden administration in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. "If the bill passes, that's going to be a huge negative for renewable (energy stocks)," said Dave Grecsek, managing director of investment strategy and research at wealth management firm Aspiriant. "We could have a little bit more downside to the renewable energy space, but a lot of it is already priced in." Companies including First Solar (FSLR.O), opens new tab, Enphase Energy (ENPH.O), opens new tab and Sunrun (RUN.O), opens new tab are all in the red for the year. The bill includes substantial funding cuts for the U.S. Medicaid program, with fiscal hawks pushing for cuts to partly offset the cost of the bill's tax components. "Reductions to Medicaid funding also shift the cost to state and local governments that may be burdened by increased health care costs. This may cause notable revenue losses for hospitals, potentially pressuring (the) credit quality of both state and nonprofit health care municipal bonds," Morgan Stanley said. Shares of major health insurers CVS (CVS.N), opens new tab, Humana (HUM.N), opens new tab, UnitedHealth (UNH.N), opens new tab, Elevance (ELV.N), opens new tab and Cigna (CI.N), opens new tab would be in focus. The S&P 500 managed healthcare index (.SPLRCHMO), opens new tab is down 30.6% year to date. BofA Global Research said it expects interest rates to remain high if the bill does not meaningfully address deficit reduction, and flagged several companies that could be hurt by higher rates. SBA Communications (SBAC.O), opens new tab, Equinix (EQIX.O), opens new tab and Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE.N), opens new tab are some of the real estate-linked companies that are at risk, BofA Global Research said. "Homebuilders need to take a margin hit on the house to increase affordability. So that's a very simple translation of how fiscal stimulus is leading to a negative consequence for the stock market," said Viresh Kanabar, macro strategist - asset allocation at Macro Hive. The bill also includes legislation to extend or expand Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provisions that are set to expire at the end of 2025. The provisions include 100% bonus depreciation for equipment investment, immediate deduction of domestic research and development (R&D) expenses and looser business interest expensing through 2029. BofA Global Research named a slew of S&P 500 companies with no overseas sales that could benefit from these items, including utility firms Alliant Energy (LNT.O), opens new tab, Ameren Corp (AEE.N), opens new tab and American Electric Power Company (AEP.O), opens new tab.
