Overview
The site is allocated for commercial/employment development by North Northamptonshire Council. It’s where the Council wants to see new jobs created to support the balanced growth of the town and the local area.
Rushden Gateway will be a high-quality new employment-led development offering a range of benefits and amenities to local residents. We are proposing to deliver a new Aldi supermarket alongside modern retail and business space, as well as an EV charging facility and a drive-thru coffee / food offering with associated infrastructure and landscaping.
The official description of development (ie what permission we are applying for) is as follows:
Hybrid planning application for the phased comprehensive development of land north of Northampton Road, Rushden:
Outline planning permission (all matters reserved except access) for Class B2 development; highway works (including provision of a new roundabout on Northampton Road), landscaping areas and associated infrastructure. Full planning permission for a supermarket (Class E), non-food retail unit (Class E), Drive Thru Unit (Class E / Sui Generis), EV Charging Facility (Sui Generis); landscape areas, associated infrastructure and public art.
New and improved proposals
These are revised plans informed by a previous planning application and intended to make the best use of the site.
In 2020, we brought forward an application which included new employment/commercial space and was recommended for approval but ultimately refused by councillors at planning committee. Since then, we have looked more closely at how to deliver a development which matches policy, addresses feedback from the earlier application, and offers the best and most viable solution for the site.
We are now bringing forward a new masterplan and planning application. Our integrated approach to developing the site combines a mix of commercial buildings to suit different occupier needs with associated infrastructure, new access, landscaping and car parking. The proposals will create new local jobs and deliver a range of economic benefits and services.
Our new proposals represent a number of improvements when compared to the previous application, including:
- More green infrastructure
- Better public access and amenities
- Less development
- The proposed commercial space in phase two is now wholly B2 use class (ie general industry). Previously this was B8 (ie storage and distribution), but there will be no B8 in this proposal.
- An improved parkland setting for the employment zone in Phase 2
- A public art opportunity to recognise the site’s landmark location and contribute to the ambition for this to be a ‘gateway site’. More information can be found here.
Economic, environmental and sustainability credentials
The applicants, advised by a multi-disciplinary team of consultants, are bringing forward proposals that will unlock important economic, environmental and sustainability benefits for the local area.
The proposal will deliver a range of socio-economic benefits and the creation of a significant number of jobs, which will contribute towards the local job creation target for the East Northamptonshire area.
The proposed development incorporates attractive landscaping which will minimise the visual impact of the new buildings on the wider area and help to achieve a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for the site.
A range of sustainability measures will be incorporated into the construction process to reduce carbon emissions and to comply with the relevant planning policies in respect of delivering sustainable development. We will be targeting a BREEAM sustainability rating of ‘very good’ for Rushden Gateway.
We have commissioned a full design team which is carrying out technical assessments and surveys to inform a full suite of technical reports and plans which will be submitted with the planning application.
Illustrative visuals of proposed development
