PROJECT EXAMPLE
Newlands Park Thrapston.
We secured an Option Agreement on a 75-hectare site at A14
Junction 13 in 2021.
Given (1) the outdatedness of North Northamptonshire Council’s (NNC’s) Joint Core Strategy (adopted in 2016); (2) the significant unmet need for strategic logistics floorspace in the Borough; and (3) having agreed a pre-let with DHL for a 535,000ft2 unit, we took the decision to submit a hybrid planning application for 2.2 million ft2 in February 2022.
Whilst we had undertaken detailed pre-application engagement with NNC ocers through a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA), throughout the course of the application’s determination, we had to overcome a number of complex planning issues, including: Newlands Park Thrapston.
Assessing cumulative landscape and visual and highways
impacts given other schemes coming forward nearby;
- Undertaking detailed labour supply analysis and agreeing a £1.9
million bus service obligation to address the Policy Team’s
concerns around the sustainability of the location;
- Carried out two years’ of detailed transport modelling work to get
a National Highways objection lifted;
- Agreed a suitable approach with Historic England mitigate
impacts of a newly scheduled ancient monument on our off-site
highways works.
- Negotiated additional wintering bird mitigation with Natural
England following the submission of additional surveys by third
party objectors.
- Due to the protracted determination process, we took the
decision to appeal for Non Determination in early 2025.
The corresponding Planning Inquiry sat for 10 days in Summer 2025
and we were supported by Leading Counsel and expert witnesses in
respect of planning; market need; landscape and visual; ecology;
heritage & archaeology; and highways.
The Appeal was allowed in October 2025 with the Inspector
agreeing with our initial view that the JCS was outdated and that the
benefits of the proposal were sufficient to outweigh any harms.
Other project examples
Strategic Land
Newlands Park Thrapston.
2.15m sq ft - North Northamptonshire
Hybrid planning permission secured in October 2025 for up to 2.15 million sq ft at Junction 13 of the A14, with a maximum ridge height of 24m across the 110-acre site. A long-term strategic land promotion that demonstrates Newlands' ability to navigate complex policy environments and deliver major allocations.
View Case Study
Strategic Land
Newlands Park Huntingdon.
2.2m sq ft — Huntingdonshire
A 200-acre strategic site adjacent to the A141, south-west of Huntingdon. Planning application for circa 2.2 million sq ft being prepared for submission. A complex promotion involving multiple landowners, significant transport mitigation and ongoing local plan engagement.
View Case Study
Development Management
Erith Works.
XX sq ft — London Borough of Bexley
Development management case study demonstrating Newlands' ability to unlock value from a complex brownfield or underutilised urban site, working closely with the LPA to maximise deliverable floorspace within a constrained environment.
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Development Management
Brackmills Gateway.
2.2m sq ft — Huntingdonshire
Development management case study demonstrating Newlands' approach to redeveloping an established employment location — maximising logistics floorspace through careful masterplanning, phased delivery and close engagement with the local planning authority.
View Case Study