Land in between North of Main Road and A45 Upper Heyford

1. 1.Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that the proposed micro energy storage unit can be appropriately operated, serviced and maintained throughout its lifetime without maintenance or servicing vehicles stopping on the adjacent public highway. In the absence of adequate evidence, the Local Planning Authority cannot be satisfied that the proposal would not result in vehicles obstructing the highway or adversely affecting the safe and efficient movement of highway users during maintenance and operational activities. The proposal therefore conflicts with Policy SS2 (j) of the South Northamptonshire Local Plan (Part 2) and the guidance in the NPPF, at paragraph 115 b) as a safe and suitable means of access cannot be achieved; and NPPF Paragraph 116 in that should the development be approved then there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety taking into account all reasonable future scenarios.
2. 2.By reason of its scale, massing and prominent siting on a landscaped highway embankment on the approach to Upper Heyford, the development would introduce a visually intrusive and incongruous form of development into an otherwise open and verdant setting. The development would appear as an urbanising feature that fails to integrate with the rural character and appearance of the surrounding area, resulting in the erosion of the landscape qualities that characterise this location. The proposal therefore represents an unacceptable form of development that is contrary to the design principles of Policy SS2 of the South Northamptonshire Local Plan (Part 2) and the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) at Paragraph 135 which seeks to ensure development is sympathetic to the local character and contributes positively to the natural and built environment. Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 and paragraph 39 of the National Planning Policy Framework In accordance with the above, WEST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL has worked with the applicant in a

From the council's decision notice.

Application type

Full Planning Permission

Scale / size

Small

Parish

Upper Heyford

Date validated

24 February 2026

Last date for comments

28 March 2026

Target decision date

21 April 2026

Agent address

Miss Ashleigh Boyce 1 Dover Street London N19 3EW

Statutory period

56 days

Documents

14