In recent days there has been much frustration and upset rightly and understandably expressed about the situation involving the former Weetabix site in Corby and the seemingly very serious failings of the planning notification process around this, particularly affecting Hooke Close.
For my part, I have been actively supporting local residents in raising these concerns as a matter of urgency with the Chief Executive of North Northamptonshire Council, in partnership with Councillor Mark Pengelly. We are doing so on a cross-party basis and this includes me having requested an urgent meeting involving the Chief Executive, myself, local councillors and affected resident representatives, sometime this week. I am pushing them for this to happen and hope that they will be agreeable to such, given the seriousness of the situation.
I am grateful to all those who have written expressing their concerns, which I have responded to individually, and I stand ready to assist anyone affected locally further in any way that I am able. Indeed, I would urge anyone affected to make contact with me directly, to aid me in best representing local feeling to the fullest possible extent.
My message is clear - these are seemingly very serious failings of the planning process and all possible avenues of remedy must now be explored in the circumstances. I shall continue to support residents in strongly making that case and will provide any updates here as I have them.