Northants joint planning unit expands ahead of plan examination

A joint local authority planning unit is gearing up for the examination of its core strategy by expanding its team with two new appointments.

North Northamptonshire covers the local authorities of Corby (pictured above), East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough.

The Joint Planning Unit (JPU) is responsible for strategic planning and providing urban design advice to the partner authorities.

Thomas Shaw joins the unit as assistant planner to focus on Corby. He graduated from Queen Mary University of London in human geography. 

Paul Woods has been promoted from planning officer to senior planner and will focus on Kettering.

Northamptonshire JPU head Andrew Longley told Planning: “We are gearing up for the examination of our core strategy and have boosted our team.

“This is a rapidly growing area, just 50 minutes from St Pancras, and is a mix of expanding towns and historic villages set countryside. 

“We plan to deliver 40,000 new homes and 30,000 jobs by 2031. We delivered the first joint core strategy in the UK in 2008 and the review of this is at a critical stage.

“We are maintaining an ambitious growth agenda with a commitment to urban extensions. We work with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and other stakeholders.

“Strong place making design is an important element and the plan is much more about quality, not just quantity, in terms of meeting our targets."

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