Petition to Object to Planning Application 26/02126/FUL
70 Higham Road, Rushden
We are asking local residents to support this petition and object to planning application 26/02126/FUL, which proposes converting 70 Higham Road from retail/office premises into a 10-bedroom HMO providing 10 double bedrooms.

We believe the proposal represents a significant increase in the intensity of use of the property and raises important concerns about parking, highway safety, residential amenity, the suitability of the building and the cumulative impact of additional housing in the area.

The applicant states that the property is intended for professional individual adults and proposes cycle parking. However, the provision of 10 double bedrooms does not in itself establish that there will be only 10 occupants. The Council should confirm the maximum permitted occupancy, including whether any rooms could be occupied by more than one person, and assess parking and transport demand on that basis. Cycle parking should not be relied upon as an assumption that residents will not require cars.

Parking and highways
The applicant's parking survey, dated 13 July 2026, was undertaken between 1:00am and 5:00am. We question whether an overnight survey accurately represents residential parking demand, particularly during daytime, evening and peak periods.

The assessment identifies Lime Street, Higham Road, Kilburn Place, Peck Way and North Street  as potential parking areas. Residents are concerned that these streets are already heavily used and frequently close to capacity.

The application also refers to North Street car park as an alternative. A public town-centre car park is not equivalent to dedicated residential parking for a 10-bedroom HMO.

There are also existing highway and safety concerns around Hayway and Spencer Road, additionally Wharf Road, including potential double yellow lines. Any resulting displacement of vehicles should be considered in assessing the wider parking impact.

We believe parking should therefore be assessed using realistic residential conditions, rather than relying solely on an overnight survey.

Cumulative housing impact
This application should not be considered in isolation. There has been a considerable increase in residential development in this part of Rushden, including the conversion of the former bus station, development at 4 Higham Road, and the substantial development accessed from Prospect Avenue.

The 4 Higham Road development comprises 33 flats and 3 townhouses, while the Prospect Avenue development comprises 133 dwellings.

These developments bring additional residents, vehicles and movements into the area. The Council should consider the cumulative pressure on parking, roads, local amenities, services and the wider residential environment.

Scale, suitability and residential amenity
The proposal would introduce 10 double bedrooms into a building previously used for retail/shopfront and office purposes. The building dates from approximately 1962 and has around 1,878 sq ft of internal floor space.

The Council should establish whether the building can provide an appropriate standard of accommodation at the proposed occupancy, including adequate bedrooms, communal areas, kitchen facilities, natural light, ventilation, privacy, refuse and recycling, cycle storage and outdoor amenity space.

The change to a 10-double-bedroom HMO could also affect neighbouring properties through noise, disturbance, lighting, privacy and overlooking, comings and goings, deliveries, refuse and use of communal or external areas.

These concerns relate to the proposed use and its intensity, not to the identity or characteristics of future occupants.

Outdoor space and management
The application identifies a shared rear yard. The Council should establish the precise amount of outdoor space genuinely available to residents and whether it is adequate for the proposed occupancy.

The applicant states that the property will be professionally managed, with arrangements for refuse, maintenance, communal areas, resident conduct and a management contact. While welcome, these arrangements do not remove the need to establish whether the scale and intensity of the proposed use is appropriate for this location.

Regeneration and consultation
The applicant states that the proposal will support the continued regeneration of Rushden. We support appropriate regeneration and investment, but this should respect the area's established mix of residential, commercial and leisure uses and consider the cumulative effect of development.

Residents have also raised concerns about consultation. The notification letter was dated 6 August 2026, with comments requested by 27 August 2026, and some residents report that they did not receive a notification letter. The Council should therefore ensure that all potentially affected properties have had a proper opportunity to comment.

Our request
We ask North Northamptonshire Council to fully assess the proposal, including:

Our request
We ask North Northamptonshire Council to fully assess the proposal, including:

the scale and intensity of the 10-double-bedroom HMO;
the suitability of the existing building;
realistic parking demand and surrounding street capacity;
the July 2026 parking survey methodology and timing;
parking impacts on Lime Street, Higham Road, Kilburn Place, Peck Way, North Street, 

Capacity of Hayway and Spencer Road;
potential parking displacement from Wharf Road;
reliance on North Street car park;
highway and wider safety;
residential amenity, noise and disturbance;
refuse, servicing and outdoor space;
the cumulative impact of recent and proposed housing development; and
whether the proposed management arrangements are sufficient and enforceable.

Please sign the petition

This petition is about whether a 10-double-bedroom HMO is an appropriate and sustainable use of this particular building and location.

We believe the proposal raises genuine planning concerns.

We therefore ask North Northamptonshire Council to carefully consider residents' concerns and refuse planning application 26/02126/FUL.

We urge you to think of the long-term implications and to consider what kind of legacy we want to build for the future of Rushden. Sign this petition to stand with us in protecting the integrity of our community and in supporting responsible urban planning decisions. Your support is crucial to ensure our voices are heard.