Council Rejects 150-Home Development Plan for Former Supermarket Site

A proposal to convert a disused supermarket location into a residential complex comprising 150 homes has been denied. On Wednesday, the planning committee of North Northamptonshire Council voted against the construction of this development at the former Co-op premises situated on Alexandra Road in Corby. Glenrowan Homes, the developer, had presented the initiative as a “high-quality, multi-storey building.” While planning officers had advised approving the proposals, residents living nearby expressed worries regarding parking availability, noise levels, and the potential strain on existing local facilities. The scheme garnered 43 letters of opposition, among which was one submitted by Lee Barron, the Labour Member of Parliament for Corby. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a resident conveyed to the committee: “We all need enough space to live and protect our general health and well-being.” The resident further stated, “In established inner cities where space is severely limited there might be a need to squeeze in cramped high rise developments like this, but in Corby this is not the case.” Alison Dalziel, a Labour councillor and committee member, remarked that the site required redevelopment, describing it as an “absolute tip.” However, she found it difficult to identify any other six-storey development in Corby, commenting: “To have something as imposing and as dense as this looks – I just don’t feel that it’s the right thing for what is actually a quite small piece of land.” She further elaborated: “To think of 350 to 400 people living on that piece of land just, to me, does not make sense.” Patrick Boyle, director of Glenrowan Homes, asserted: “Corby needs housing.” He added: “We’ve got people in our office who commute daily from Derby because they can’t find rented accommodation.” Boyle also stated: “We share the vision of the council in that a signature building should be built on that site.” In its decision to deny the application, the committee referenced concerns regarding overdevelopment, the proposed high density, and the anticipated effects on adjacent residents. Theresa Bannigan, a resident living nearby, commented: “We are extremely pleased that the Planning Committee recognised our objections for this particular design. We hope that any future plans for this site are mindful of the reasons why this proposal was rejected.”