Pressure growing for new Northants lorry park

Pressure is increasing in Northamptonshire for plans for a lorry park to be approved after complaints were made about HGVs parking on housing estates.

Last year, Kettering Council refused permission for property developer Greatline Developments to build a 204-space truckstop on land at Rothwell near the A6.

This was despite the publication of a report by Faber Maunsell stating the county was in desperate need of at least three new secure lorry parks for 300 vehicles to prevent truck crime spiralling out of control.

Greatline tells CM it will resubmit its planning application "within the next two weeks".

Meanwhile, residents are lobbying councillors to erect signs to prevent lorries from parking in the town and on residential estates.

But councillor Derek Zanger says he does not want to see thousands of pounds wasted on signage. "Financially, we are strapped for cash. We have a planning application scheduled to be resubmitted for a lorry park. I wouldn't have thought we would be spending thousands of pounds on signage until we know where we are going with the lorry park.

"I am not saying it's going to be passed, but it's unrealistic spending money on signage."

Greatline director Mark Day says: "There's a desperate need, and lorry parking is a problem in residential and commercial streets in a number of towns.

"We have put a lot of effort into proving that there's no better alternative site that is either coming forward or likely to come forward for a lorry park in the borough."