Football club's warehouse plans set for approval

A football club said its planning application to develop land next to its stadium had been recommended for approval by a council.

Northampton Town FC has proposed a 19-acre (7.7 hectare) warehouse development on land adjacent to Sixfields.

A final decision on the scheme will be made at a meeting of Reform-UK controlled West Northamptonshire Council's strategic planning committee on 25 February.

Northampton Town chairman, Kelvin Thomas, said the recommendation was a "very significant and important step for the football club".

He said: "To gain a recommendation for approval is wonderful news for the club.

"Everyone is fully aware of the financial challenges faced by all football clubs at the moment, and this approval is very important for the financial stability of the club in the medium and long term.

"Not only will this development benefit the club, but also the local community with the creation of some much-needed employment opportunities."

Last year the League One club finally opened its new East Stand at the ground after a decade-long construction saga.

Documents on West Northamptonshire Council's planning portal showed a development of seven warehouses with capacity for 11 separate tenants.

The heights of the warehouses range from 9m (30ft) to 17m (56ft). A site plan showed the largest would back on to the perimeter of the East Stand at Sixfields.

Part of the land due to be developed directly to the east of the East Stand was formerly a running track occupied by Rugby & Northampton Athletic Club.

The council's planning committee report on the scheme disclosed that St James Spencer Residents Association and Northampton Town Football Club Supporters Trust had raised objections to the scheme.

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