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08 April 2024
People across West Northamptonshire are being invited to have their say on the draft Local Plan strategy which enables West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to plan for the future of the area positively and sustainably by guiding decisions on future development proposals and creating places where people wish to live, work and visit and will thrive.
The draft Plan sets out a vision and objectives for the area, its ambitions for new development and commitment to dealing with climate change. The Plan allocates land for housing and employment and contains a series of planning policies for these and many other topics such as leisure, transport, health and wellbeing, infrastructure and the environment and where development can and cannot take place.
Once adopted the new Plan will replace current plans that cover West Northamptonshire and form part of the development plan against which planning decisions are made.
This consultation is gives residents the opportunity to get involved with this stage of the local plan process and will help WNC consider and address issues before a final draft is produced.
People can have their say from Monday 8 April to Sunday 2 June by visiting the Local Plan consultation.
“This is a really exciting opportunity for local businesses, residents and community groups to help shape the future of planning across West Northamptonshire.Cllr Rebecca Breese, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Built Environment and Rural Affairs“The local plan provides the guiding principles for new development, dedicated green spaces and infrastructure across the area; and has an impact on everyone’s lives across the area. We invite the community to review the plans and have their say.”
The Plan is still being prepared, evidence gathered, and proposals considered, and WNC invite comments on the fully developed policies, the partly developed policies and any other parts of the Plan including allocations for housing and employment growth and guidance that applies to your area.
The draft Plan is accompanied by a number of technical documents and other evidence. All can be found on the dedicated New Local Plan for West Northamptonshire page.
The evidence will continue to be updated as the Plan progresses.
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09 April 2024
Today (9 April) marks 500 days to go until the start of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the biggest-ever celebration of women’s international rugby, which will see matches take place in front of a worldwide audience at Northampton’s cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
To mark this momentous day, local women and girls joined members of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Northampton Saints and West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens for the launch of Impact ’25, the RFU’s transformational legacy programme which aims to grow rugby throughout the country, delivered in partnership with UK Government, Sport England and UK Sport.
The multi-million-pound programme will provide substantial improvements in facilities and greater opportunities for females at all levels of the game and has already seen £12.13m of Government funding committed to women and girls’ grassroots rugby.
Attendees at the event, hosted by Northampton Saints and Loughborough Lightning, were able to take part in girls’ non-contact Rugby, led by Lightning players and Saints community coaches, as well as watch the ‘Heart of the Game’ Rugby World Cup trailer produced by local sixth form students from the Bee Hive SEND vocational college for Northampton Film Festival.
“We are extremely excited to welcome the Women’s Rugby World Cup to West Northamptonshire next year and it was great to experience a taste of what is to come at today’s Impact ’25 launch event.Cllr Adam Brown, Deputy Leader of WNC and Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure“This major tournament will bring huge benefits to our area, not only attracting visitors from around the world and showcasing West Northamptonshire's unique rugby culture to millions of viewers, but also encouraging more people to get active and building women and girls’ participation in both Rugby and other sports by providing a wealth of new sporting opportunities.”
“We were absolutely over the moon to be selected as one of the host venues for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and as the tournament approaches, that excitement continues to build.Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of Northampton Saints“Participation in women’s and girls’ rugby throughout our region has never been higher, and the audience for the sport is growing all the time. We are delighted to have played a part in that through our partnership with Loughborough Lightning and our community outreach programmes, as well as by hosting women’s international matches in Northampton in 2021 and 2023.
“We hope bringing several World Cup matches to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens in 2025 will have a transformational effect on rugby in our region – and with 500 days now to go until the tournament gets underway, it’s fantastic to see the Impact ’25 legacy programme also get up and running today.
“We are confident the Women’s Rugby World Cup and Impact ’25 can inspire the next generation of female players and create a lasting legacy of success for women’s rugby and the local community in Northampton and beyond.
“Everyone at Saints is grateful to West Northamptonshire Council for their collaboration in helping us host this event and launch Impact ’25 in Northampton, as well as to the RFU, UK Government and Sport England for their funding and support.”
“The opportunity to grow the women’s game was a primary driver behind our bid to host Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, and we are very grateful to Government for committing funding to this transformational programme as part of the tournament.Bill Sweeney, CEO, RFU“Working together with Government, UK Sport, Sport England and World Rugby we will create a legacy for women’s rugby in England and the home nations, both in terms of attracting more fans and people to play, coach, officiate, and volunteer.
“We are already seeing huge strides forwards being made thanks to Impact ‘25 and look forward to seeing further progress over the coming months and years.”
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08 April 2024
As we enter the spring and summer months, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is looking at ways it can help promote environmental awareness for the natural environment and gain further understanding on how people locally support national campaigns to enhance biodiversity.
Last year, WNC supported the national campaign run by Plantlife, No Mow May. The Council will again be supporting the campaign this year in May and will be enabling some of the green spaces it looks after to grow wildly for May, where safe and reasonable to do so.
People across West Northamptonshire are being asked to share their views on the national campaign and let the Council know if they take part in these, so that it can gain a better understanding of how West Northamptonshire residents positively impacted biodiversity.
The six-week online engagement will take place from Monday 8 April to Sunday 19 May, and people can have their say here: https://westnorthants.citizenspace.com/cet/no-mow-may
“Creating areas for our wildlife is important, the best time to do this is in late spring although we encourage this all-year round. Birds, bats, beetles, butterflies and other wildlife are pollinators, this means that they are needed for flowers and crops to reproduce or produce food. Without pollinators we would not have an agricultural economy, which means we would not have a food supply, it would also greatly change the natural environment and surrounding landscapes.Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste at WNC“We allow verges to grow where this doesn’t cause an obstruction, however, we take account of pedestrians and traffic by cutting the necessary amount of grass verge to make it safe.
“I would encourage anyone who has supported these national campaigns or is interested in finding out how they can support biodiversity in their area to fill out the online form and help shape the future of wildlife in West Northants.”
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08 April 2024
Two closure orders have been secured at addresses in Northampton after they were suspected to have been cuckooed.
The first of these orders was secured at an address in Pendle Road, Northampton, on March 13, and the second was secured on March 28 at an address in Latymer Court, Northampton.
Both addresses were targeted by Northamptonshire Police and West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) via a joint operation after a number of reports that the occupants of both properties were being cuckooed by known drug users.
'Cuckooing' is a crime in which drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person in order to use it as a base.
Reports made by local residents regarding both properties involved concerns for the vulnerable tenants, the increase in anti-social behaviour around the properties, and increased incidents of suspected drug dealing and drug use.
Both closure orders will be in place for three months with no one except the resident, the Council, and the emergency services allowed inside the property.
Since the closure order was issued, two men have been charged in connection with breaching it.
“I am pleased that we have managed to secure these closure orders as they protect the vulnerable residents and make the general area a nicer place to live for everyone else.PC Grace Manwaring“Tackling cuckooing is really important to us as neighbourhood policing officers and I’d like to thank the local communities in both of these areas who provided us with the information we needed to obtain these orders.
“If you have any concerns about problem addresses in your local area, please contact us. Although it may seem like nothing is happening following your initial report, please know that behind the scenes, the team will be putting together a plan to tackle the issues.”
“Through a great partnership effort we have been able to work with the police to take positive action against cuckooing and prevent any further anti-social behaviour at these properties.Cllr David Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement, and Regulatory Services“These Orders will make a huge difference to the quality of life for local residents while serving as a reminder to people that anti-social behaviour in any form will not be tolerated in West Northamptonshire.”
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08 April 2024
Grants of up to £20,000 are available from the University of Bedfordshire to local businesses as part of a new programme launched by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) to deliver business support, growth and innovation in the region.
The initiative seeks to forge pathways to innovation while fostering a dynamic business ecosystem that fuels local pride, skill enhancement, and the expansion of employment opportunities, with £325,000 in funding available as part of the support package.
As part of this comprehensive programme, the University will deliver business growth initiatives, including activities designed to empower businesses with innovation and technological support, enhancing their productivity and competitiveness. From fully-funded participation in short courses to personalised 1-2-1 consultancy sessions with industry experts, businesses will receive tailored support to address their unique needs.
Funded by £625k of UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF), a central part of the Government’s Levelling Up agenda, this project marks a strategic investment in local businesses operating within the West Northamptonshire region. Building upon the successful outcomes of previous partnerships, this venture is poised to deliver tangible results in business innovation and support.
"We are delighted to join forces with West Northamptonshire Council to empower local businesses with the tools and resources they need to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.Andrew Church, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation at the University of BedfordshireThis collaboration exemplifies our dedication to driving positive change and fostering a climate of innovation that benefits both businesses and the wider community. This partnership marks a significant step in bolstering the region’s business ecosystem, laying the groundwork for sustained growth and prosperity.”
"We appreciate the unique challenges businesses face which is why we’ve chosen to dedicate this funding to support and enable them to innovate and grow.Cllr Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at West Northamptonshire Council“Our ambition is to enable every business in West Northamptonshire to thrive and for this reason we have allocated the majority of our UK Shared Prosperity funding towards supporting businesses and creating employment opportunities to sustain the local economy.
“We are dedicated to providing high quality support, training and guidance and wherever possible, funding, to enable our local businesses to fulfil their potential. I encourage all businesses to take advantage of this free support as well as the range of support available on the WNC website all year around.”
Find out more about the business support available through this programme via the University’s Research & Innovation Service.
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