Drill Hall site - latest objection from Wellingborough BID The BID believes the proposed development for Jacksons Lane is a radical change from both the High St Development brief and the Adopted town Centre Area Action Plan. The development goes against the ethos of the original plans for a mixed use development that supports the wider growth of Wellingborough and enhances the town centre. WBC managed to get CPO powers for the site to encourage a mixed use scheme to be delivered on the site, with relatively little opposition, if what is being proposed would have been the original basis for CPO for the site on the basis of vastly reduced parking, without adequate replacement and houses the argument against CPO would of been stronger. The AAP policy to support the mixed used development at the High St did support a 200 space car park on the site through a new small multi storey that was supposed to replace the current surface car park, however this was accompanied by a new 500 space car park on the Tresham college site as part of a major new retail development. We know that this development is not happening with the Tresham site redevelopment, therefore the North of the town will require the existing capacity of the High St site, or an equivalent replacement, to maintain the level of car parking required as identified in Policy WTC20 of the AAP. The AAP supports the enhancement of Wellingborough town centre in light of the wider CSS policies for at least 6000 new homes on North Wellingborough and Stanton Cross development sites. The Local Plan and town centre AAP, was built around interceptor car parks as described in policy WTC 20, and the supporting evidence in the Transport Strategy For Growth. The town requires adequate parking capacity at each entrance to the town to reduce the need to drive round town and exacerbate the congested One Way System, (as identified in the TSFG) while building up an attractive town centre which would encourage people to walk across town I.e. High Street site linked to Church St a Developed and improved market area and updated library site, with possibly in the long term and updated Swansgate Centre. The argument for housing on the site on the basis that the local plan housing ambition isnt happening, has gone as clearly the major housing will be happening, with the LGF funding supporting the delivery of Stanton Cross and North Wellinborough also now likely to come forward. Therefore the argument for an increased town centre offer should follow, even if you account for reduced floor space assumptions based on rise of Internet shopping, since the original plan was developed. This should be accounted for by the Tresham site remaining as a college and not retail, therefore the Town Centre needs the High Street site to maintain its current level of parking capacity and provide for an updated mixed use development site. Regarding the possible negative impact from the reduced car parking on the transport network, we understand that the policy for S.106 developer contributions towards the town centre transport improvements are built on the basis of Interceptor Parking and improvements to infrastructure to facilitate movement towards these sites. We do not believe that there is enough S.106 from related housing development across the town to mitigate traffic generated from this and major housing sites to support improvements to the transport system to get cars around the one way system without major congestion, if Swansgate car park was to act as the main car park for the town. The previous plan provided for 700 spaces to the North of the town, this application would leave a shortfall of 540 spaces, with Swansgate the desired alternative, the assumptions within the application appears to only consider the picture today for car parking requirements and they do not appear to look at increase use of Swansgate on the back of major growth at Stanton Cross, who’s residents would most likely use Swansgate car park. The assumptions also do not consider the impact of the Business Improvement District, who aim to continue positive work through marketing, events and support to town centre businesses to increase the visitor numbers into the town centre over the next 5 years and hopefully beyond. This proposal in effect has a major net detrimental impact on future projected traffic conditions for the town centre, and goes against the identified transport mitigation approach for the growth of Wellingborough on this basis and the fact it goes against the adopted local plan WBC should recommend refusal. If WBC was minded to approve the application they should seek adequate contribution to provide for the construction or replacement parking to the N of the town, which is currently not included as part of the application, even if this was provided the application still provides a major risk to the long term vibrancy of the town centre and could in effect kill off the High St area as a service and retail part of the town centre. The BID would like to strongly object to the current application, as it believes that the current application is not making the best use of this important prime Town centre site. With the proposed expansion of Wellingborough with the new developments at North Wellingborough and Stanton Cross we need more town centre retail units and to also to increase or at worst maintain the current level of available car parking spaces not reduce them. WELL SAID WELLINGBOROUGH BID :)
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 14:00:03 +0000