DHL appeals against refusal for warehouse in Towcester

Developers have appealed against the denial of a warehouse on the edge of a city.

A DHL plan for a logistics hub on the outskirts of Towcester, Northamptonshire, was rejected by councilors in September.

The 32 hectare site will now be assessed by the government’s planning inspectorate.

More than 1,100 objections were lodged by residents against the plans, and around 100 people protested outside the planning committee meeting.

Plans for the site were first submitted to West Northamptonshire Council in 2021 Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

DHL said the warehouse would generate around 1,300 new full-time jobs and increase local wage growth by around £50 million per year.

But concerns were raised about the “traffic chaos” caused by the development, as well as the immense scale of the buildings on the edge of a historic city and the demand for warehouses in the area.

Save Towcester Now, a local campaign group with more than 1,400 followers on Facebook, spoke at the meeting and warned that the plans would “irrevocably change” Towcester and South Northamptonshire.

The authority ultimately decided to reject the site, against officers’ advice, due to the size and scale of the application, citing visual damage and serious traffic impacts in Towcester predicted by 2031.

However, planning inspectors will have the power to overturn the council’s decision – or refuse the application – if they deem it necessary.

The appeals website states that all evidence from the local authority and developers is due in January 2025 and a date has been set for a full investigation in February.