Latest news with #NorthamptonshireCouncil
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Appeal hearing into major solar farm under way in Northamptonshire
A public inquiry into the rejection of plans for a major solar farm in Northamptonshire has heard from the planning agents and opposition proposed facility at land south of Wood Lodge Farm near Thrapston would cover 145 acres (59 hectares) alongside the applicant said the development was designed to generate enough power for up to 15,000 Major, a government-appointed planning inspector, is overseeing the two-day hearing. North Northamptonshire Council turned down the plans in October 2024, against the advice of its planning Brackenbury, who was chair of the council's planning committee when the application was considered, told the hearing: "This is a speculative development proposal on a greenfield site, which would result in the loss of good quality agricultural land and would present significant pressures on the local highway network as well as causing irreversible harm to the amenity and character of the local area." The hearing is looking at four main areas: the impact on a special protection area (SPA), impact on the landscape, use of agricultural land and access and highways of the opening day's discussion focused on whether the proposed site was "functionally linked land".This is a term used to describe areas of land that, while not officially designated as protected, are critical for supporting biodiversity and ecological processes of nearby protected sites. According to the council's report on the application, eight designated sites of nature conservation importance are located within 5km (3.1miles) of the proposed development site.A statement from the Cheney family, who own the land and have farmed the site since 1938, was read out to the said the decision to allow the solar farm "was not made lightly" and they "deliberately selected the poorest quality land on the holding".They added the project was "not about abandoning farming, it is about preserving it".Stuart Fyfe, a long-time resident who lives close to the site, told the hearing he was opposed to the solar farm and that he would "protect my home at all costs".John Franklin, who lives in Titchmarsh, added: "I am deeply concerned about the devastating effects that the proposed development will have on the countryside and wildlife."A site visit is expected to take place on planning inspector's verdict will be released on an unspecified date following the hearing. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
24-04-2025
- BBC News
West Northamptonshire Council failed homeless man for second time
A council has been ordered to pay £750 to a homeless man and told to make service improvements after it failed to provide him with emergency accommodation for a second Northamptonshire Council apologised for refusing the man's homelessness request and for any distress individual, referred to as Mr X, had also complained that the Conservative-controlled authority repeated failures from a previous incident in 2023, when he was forced to sleep in his car for a fortnight after he said his mother had assaulted Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) said the council had "further compounded" the stress the man was under. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the man had again approached the authority for homelessness assistance in August 2024 after he was forced to return to the same place where he had experienced domestic told West Northamptonshire Council he had returned to sleeping in his car and had tried to take his life several response, the council recommended he contact his landlord to ask to move into his tenancy, which was due to start in September, early. It said it recognised he was temporarily homeless, but that Mr X did not meet the priority need criteria for temporary accommodation. 'Significant fault' The LGSCO report said: "The ombudsman has already found significant fault with this council for its handling of Mr X's case when he previously fled domestic abuse."It said the council "should have considered his approach as a homelessness application, not a request for advice" and "the council's actions amount to a fault".The investigator added that the council's actions and improvements promised after the 2023 incident had not addressed "the underlying issue" of failing to properly identify and assess homelessness watchdog asked the council to provide evidence that it has given its staff further training, told it to circulate the investigation and apologised to the individual for their Northamptonshire Council said it was "committed to learning from this [case]" and had "begun taking steps to implement the ombudsman's proposed actions, including further training to our housing and homelessness teams". Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
17-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Majority of Northamptonshire children given preferred school
The vast majority of families in Northamptonshire were offered a place at their preferred primary school, the local councils Northamptonshire Council said 94.6% of children were offered their top preference, slightly up from 94% last Northamptonshire Council said 92.7% of families received their first preference - albeit a slight drop on the 93% in Barnett, director of children's services for west Northamptonshire, said: "We're very pleased that so many families were able to secure a place at a preferred school for their child." Overall, 99.1% of families in west Northamptonshire and 98.3% in north Northamptonshire were offered a place at one of the schools they shortlisted.A second round of school place allocations for late applicants will take place in May. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
16-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Northampton waste recycling centre fire tackled by crews
Firefighters have extinguished a blaze at a waste recycling were called to Ecton Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre in Northampton shortly before 11:45 was a large plume of smoke and flames in a waste container, a fire service spokesperson Northamptonshire Council said the fire was suspected to be caused by a battery. People living nearby were advised to keep their doors and windows closed to avoid smoke site was closed temporarily but has since reopened. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
06-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Brackley, Towcester and Daventry active travel plans published
Walking and cycling routes are set to be upgraded in three Northamptonshire towns in a bid to make it easier for people to get around without relying on their Northamptonshire Council has published its local cycling and walking infrastructure plans (LCWIPs) for Brackley, Towcester and Daventry.A number of routes have been highlighted as priorities and the council said having LCWIPs put it in the best position to secure funding from central hopes to implement its first LCWIPs within five years of the plan being published. A series of new or improved cycling and pedestrian routes have also been suggested for communities around the three main plans follow public consultations on the proposals which took place between January and February 2024, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting showed "strong support" for the LCWIPs, according to the council, although it has made some changes following authority said the plans were a key component in its efforts to decarbonise its transport network and become net-zero by plans, which are subject to further design work and the securing of funding, were approved at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
