At a meeting of the North Northamptonshire Council Planning Committee, councillors resolved to approve applications for a new classroom block at Sir Christopher Hatton School, the demolition of buildings at Kettering Leisure Park for open storage, the construction of a padel tennis court at Glapthorn Primary School, and the conversion of Her Majesty's Court House in Kettering into flats.

Sir Christopher Hatton School Development

Councillors delegated powers to approve an application for a new two-storey classroom block, a replacement Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), an extension to the existing car park, and a new footpath at Sir Christopher Hatton School in Wellingborough.

The decision is subject to the application being referred to the Secretary of State for consultation under the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2024 and confirmation that the application will not be called in for their own determination.

Sport England had objected to the application, arguing that the proposal would lead to the loss of playing fields. However, the applicant argued that the school is oversubscribed and requires additional facilities to meet the growing demand for places. They also stated that the existing sports pitches are used by the school during school days and by a number of community clubs on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and that the school currently lacks a dedicated area for outdoor football on a suitable playing surface.

The planning officer's report noted that the proposed development would result in the loss of part of a playing field, bringing the application within the scope of the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2024.

The committee was told that the new classroom block would include a purpose-built sixth form centre.

Kettering Leisure Park

The committee resolved to delegate powers to approve an application for the demolition of existing buildings, site clearance, and provision of open storage use at Kettering Leisure Park.

Kettering Town Council objected to the application, describing the intended use of the site for open-air storage as a huge, missed opportunity and raising concerns about biodiversity and drainage.

The Local Highway Authority (LHA) also raised concerns regarding the tracking of vehicles within the site, parking provision and electric vehicle charging points.

However, the planning officer's report stated that the buildings on the site were not commercially viable for leisure purposes and that the change of use of the land could be considered acceptable in principle.

The report also noted that National Highways were content with the methodology provided in relation to the trip generation exercise and considered that the impacts of the development on the strategic road network were likely to be negligible.

Glapthorn Primary School

The committee granted planning permission for the construction of a padel tennis court and a new eco composting toilet facility on an existing playing field at Glapthorn Primary School.

Eight letters of support and 19 letters of objection had been received in relation to the application. Concerns were raised about the impact of noise, stray balls, and the safety of horses and their riders on a nearby bridleway.

The British Horse Society (BHS) objected to the application, raising concerns about the safety of horses and riders using the bridleway. The BHS asked that the exact distance of any court to the public right of way be clarified on the plans and suggested that the side of the court towards the public right of way should be fully enclosed.

However, the planning officer's report stated that the proposed development was acceptable in principle and that the padel court would be located over 95 metres from the nearest residential property. The report also noted that the applicant had removed the floodlighting from the plans, restricting play to daylight hours.

Sport England initially objected to the proposal, but later withdrew its objection subject to conditions.

Her Majesty's Court House, Kettering

The committee resolved to approve an outline application to part demolish, convert and rebuild the existing Her Majesty's Court House building in Kettering into 14 flats.

The proposed development would contain 12 two-bedroom units and two three-bedroom units.

The council's S106 officer¹ stated that contributions of £26,510, £42,212, £23,538 and £2,590 would be required towards Early Years services, Primary Education, Secondary Education and library services, respectively.

However, a viability report submitted by the agent demonstrated that there was no viability to secure s106 payments on the site.

Northamptonshire Police recommended that a Crime Prevention Statement be provided to mitigate against crime and anti-social behaviour.