Northamptonshire County Council has rejected the current West Northamptonshire Emergent Joint Core Strategy saying that it cannot support the growth plans in their present form.

The county council’s cabinet today gave the authority’s official response to the proposals which will see the strategic development of the west of the county up to 2026 and beyond.

The views of the cabinet were partly based on a public debate held at Full Council on October 1, which provided a unique opportunity for councillors and members of the public to air their concerns about the growth plans.

The council’s cabinet listened to what people had to say and today made a number of key recommendations on issues that will need to be addressed, if ultimately the joint core strategy is to be adopted.

Concerns centred around the proposed levels of housing growth; the impact on villages and greenfield sites; whether there would be enough investment for infrastructure; the risk of flooding; and the need for ongoing consultation with residents.

Cllr Heather Smith, county council cabinet member for environment, growth and transport said: “We have listened to what members of the public and councillors have had to say, and the serious concerns they have raised about the emerging proposals for the long term growth of the area, and agree that these proposals cannot be supported as they stand.

“The county council continues to be committed to joint working with partner local planning authorities and all stakeholders on the strategic long term plans for West Northamptonshire, but we need to get them right based on clear justification, evidence and public support.

“Furthermore we need to have confidence that the infrastructure and service needs to support these plans, both for the existing population and for  those people moving into the area, will be delivered in line with the housing growth and not be seen in the future as promises that were not fulfilled.

“I am therefore pleased to see the announcement by the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit today, on behalf of the Joint Strategic Planning Committee, that the timetable is being reviewed to allow all the relevant technical work to be completed and analysed and all the issues that were raised through the consultation process are fully addressed.

“I am also keen that greater attention is paid to ongoing involvement and consultation with local communities as we move to the next stage of the process, that being the preparation of the draft submission strategy.

“This is a process that cannot be rushed and we need to allow as much time as required to ensure that these long term plans are sound when they come to be tested by the independent planning inspector and have been thoroughly consulted on with the people of Northamptonshire.”