20 apartments at 34 Knightscliffe Way, Northampton

What was proposed

The officer report describes 20 apartments in a three-storey building, with landscaping, parking, drainage and a new access from Harlestone Road.

“The application site is located on the north side of Harlestone Road, within the Lodge Way Industrial Estate which is located in northwest Northampton. The site itself comprises of an area of scrubland, with some tree cover along Harlestone Road, adjacent to the existing Masonic Lodge which is to remain in situ.”

“The proposed three storey building (10m high) would be ‘L’ shaped in nature with the building’s main entrance set on the principal elevation facing Harlestone Road, set back behind the access and car park area.”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

An 80-room care home was approved in 2016, while pre-application advice for 40 apartments raised concerns about parking, amenity and highway access.

“N/2016/0118 – Erection of an 80no room residential elderly care home including car, cycle parking and associated amenity space and new access from Harlestone Road – Approved – 28 th June 2016.”

“In relation to the above pre-application, Officers concluded at the time that as the Council were unable to demonstrate a five year housing land supply then the principle of development would likely be acceptable. Concerns were raised with regards to the under croft parking element, poor parking layout, and likelihood of a poor standard of amenity afforded to future occupiers of the development.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A local resident and two Duston ward members spoke against the application, raising concerns about size, dominance, privacy, enforcement and independent living.

What members debated

Members considered the outbuilding’s height, scale and siting, and its effect on neighbouring residential amenity.

“It was proposed by Councillor Ronald Firman and seconded by Councillor Scott Packer that application 2025/4751/FULL be refused contrary to the Case Officer’s recommendation on the grounds that the proposal, by reason of its height, scale, and siting, was unduly dominant and resulted in a negative impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring properties and was therefore contrary to the aims of Policy S10 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy (2024), Policies…”

“The development is unacceptable on the grounds that the outbuilding, by reason of its height, scale, and siting, is unduly dominant and results in a negative impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring properties, contrary to the aims of Policy S10 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy (2024), Policies Q1 and Q2 of the Northampton Local Plan Part 2 (adopted 2023) as well as being inconsistent with the guidance contained in the National Planning Policy…”

Minutes