Recently, the Office for National Statistics revealed that Northampton has the most warehouses in the UK.
This is primarily attributed to its proximity to London, extensive green areas for building and well-established rail networks.
However, the unrestrained construction of warehouses for short term profit on greenfield sites, instead of brownfield sites (land previously developed on), has raised concerns regarding noise, light pollution, and the exacerbation of climate-related issues. Such as flooding for local residents. Additionally, there are growing concerns about the impact on wildlife and bird migration patterns.
Northants greens have continued to support Northampton air pollution protests and that it’s a disgrace that the town has the worst air in the country due to lack of intervention by the council.
The Green Party in Northampton is pushing for increased scrutiny of planning permissions for warehouse construction and exploring alternative methods to conserve valuable countryside and biodiversity. Many hearings and committees, often scheduled at inconvenient times for residents, feel pressured to make decisions under the misconception that their rulings cannot be appealed. Despite resident opposition to warehouses, as evident in Kislingbury, councillors frequently approve their construction, citing job creation benefits. However, many of these jobs are seasonal, and the warehouses often remain empty for the majority of the year. This discrepancy arises because these decisions do not directly impact councillors residing near the proposed warehouse sites.
Fortunately, when many residents band together, such warehouse planning can be fort off. As was the case with Weekly Hall Wood in Kettering. The more residents that turn up at such hearings, the likelihood such planning can be overturned.
A good deal of built warehouses fail to incorporate solar panels, which could mitigate energy costs. Considering the substantial energy consumption and physical size (most are larger than the whole six fields football ground) associated with warehouses, especially as automation and AI technologies continue to advance, the Green Party widely advocates that warehouses should be mandated to install solar panels on their rooftops.
Source:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-61082171