🚨 IMPORTANT UPDATE: THE MOST CRITICAL STAGE IS HERE 🚨

 

Firstly - thank you. Over 1,900 of you have already signed this petition, proving just how strongly Raunds and surrounding communities feel about this proposed 405-home development.

 

But now we need to turn signatures into something far more powerful: formal planning objections.

 

A petition shows strength of feeling. Individual objections are what planning officers and committee members must actually read and consider.

 

⚠️ PLEASE NOTE: For objections to carry weight, they need to focus on valid planning concerns, not emotion, property values, or “we just don’t want it.”

 

Please focus on points like:

 

🚗 Road safety & traffic

Example wording:
“I object to this application due to the significant road safety concerns associated with increased traffic movements onto London Road, which is already a constrained and accident-prone route.”

 

or 

 

“I object because placing the sole access for a 400-home development on a blind corner of an already dangerous road is an obvious and avoidable safety risk that could lead to serious accidents or loss of life.”

 

Further options:

• Dangerous proposed access point
  Blind bend safety concerns
  Increased accident risk on London Road
  Unsafe for pedestrians and school children
  Additional pressure on already congested roads
  Unsafe impact on zebra crossing users
  Increased risk at Raunds roundabout
  Increased risk at Red Lion roundabout / A45 access
  Construction traffic safety concerns
  Emergency vehicle access concerns
  Unsuitable road infrastructure for this scale of development
  Cumulative traffic impact from previous developments
  Unsafe traffic generation from 400+ homes

 

🏥 Pressure on local infrastructure

Example wording:
“I object because local infrastructure is already under significant strain, including GP access, school capacity, parking and utilities, and this development would worsen that pressure without clear mitigation.”

• GP surgery already overstretched
  School capacity concerns
  Pressure on local dentists
  Pressure on local pharmacies
  Utility capacity concerns
  Water pressure / sewage infrastructure concerns
  Parking pressures in town
  Lack of supporting infrastructure
  Local services already at breaking point
  No clear infrastructure improvements proposed
  Disproportionate burden on Raunds residents

 

🌳 Environmental concerns
Example wording:
“I object due to the environmental sensitivity of the site, including flood risk, drainage concerns, loss of green space, and ecological impact.”

• Existing flood risk concerns
  Surface water drainage concerns
  Increased runoff from hard surfacing
  Pressure on existing drainage systems
  Concerns around Hog Dyke capacity
  Long-term maintenance concerns for drainage infrastructure
  Flooding risk to neighbouring homes
  Unsuitable site due to water management challenges

 

• Loss of greenfield land
  Harm to local wildlife habitats
  Ecological impact concerns
  Loss of biodiversity
  Impact on protected wetland areas
  Impact on bats / birdlife
  Loss of countryside buffer
  Urban sprawl concerns
  Inadequate environmental mitigation

📍 Cumulative impact
Example wording:
“Raunds has already experienced substantial housing and warehousing growth in recent years, and the cumulative impact of further major development would be disproportionate and unsustainable.”

• Raunds has already taken significant housing growth
  Cumulative impact of repeated development
  Disproportionate growth compared to infrastructure
  Overdevelopment of Raunds
  Warehousing growth already impacting the town
  Lack of recovery time between major developments
  Development fatigue within the community

As well as:

• Impact on community wellbeing
  Noise disruption concerns
  Construction disruption concerns
  Pressure on local amenity
  Loss of peaceful residential character
  Safety concerns for vulnerable residents
  Increased antisocial behaviour concerns (if genuinely evidenced)
  Reduced quality of life from over-intensification
• Questionable need for this scale of development in Raunds
  Lack of evidence of local housing need - more than 10,000 already agreed in Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough
  Failure to address local affordability
  Disproportionate scale relative to local need

 

❌ Please DO NOT focus your objection on:

 

House prices
Losing your view
General anger at developers
Politics
Emotional statements without planning reasons

We know this development has made many people angry and upset; but to be effective, objections must be strategic.

 

Follow this link to make a comment: https://publicaccess.northnorthants.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=TDNA30IUK6400

 

You will need an account, then you can make a comment but THIS IS WHERE YOUR VOICE MATTERS

 

This is where community action really counts. 💚

 

Full planning application: https://publicaccess.northnorthants.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=TDNA30IUK6400

 

NE/25/0915/OUT – Land West of London Road / South of Meadow Lane