The Humble Petition of residents of Redhill Grange in the Wellingborough constituency and the surrounding area,

Sheweth

That major concern is expressed about the overdevelopment of Wellingborough and in particular, the development north of Wellingborough towards the constituency of Kettering, and concern over the lack of sufficient green space around existing rural developments and villages.

Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House urges the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to liaise with the Borough Council of Wellingborough and Northamptonshire County Council to find a solution to the overdevelopment.

And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c.—[Presented by Mr. Peter Bone, Official Report, 10 December 2008; Vol. 485, c. 648.]

[P000295]

Observations from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government:

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is aware that a planning application was submitted to the Borough Council of Wellingborough for a major urban extension to the north of Wellingborough.

Decisions on planning applications are required to be in accordance with the adopted development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The Government’s statements of national planning policy, such as Planning Policy Guidance 3 “Housing”, are material considerations which must be taken into account, where relevant, in planning decisions, but it is the responsibility of the local planning authority to identify and weigh up all the different issues, in the context of the specific local circumstances, having regard to the views of local residents and other interested parties.

The Secretary of State is advised that while this application was refused by the Council’s Planning Committee on 4 February 2009, the applicant has also lodged an appeal with The Planning Inspectorate in relation to the Council’s non-determination of an identical planning application. A public inquiry into this is likely to take place in June.

As the appeal application is now within her jurisdiction, it would be inappropriate for the Secretary of State to comment on the specific matter raised in the petition.