# New Barn Farm Industrial Estate, Brick Kiln Road, Raunds

- **Decision:** allowed, 22 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: M Chalk
- **Authority:** North Northamptonshire (East Midlands)
- **Appeal reference:** APP/M2840/W/25/3366988
- **Application reference:** NE/23/01228/FUL
- **Procedure:** hearing
- **Development:** Mixed-use employment extension to an existing rural industrial estate, access improvements
- **Site context:** settlement-edge, open-countryside
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** N6
- **Development plan policies:** North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy Policy 4, Raunds Neighbourhood Plan R16, R19
- **Main issues:** effect on Special Protection Area
- **Tags:** tier-2, transitional-no-consultation, functionally-linked-land, habitats-sites, costs-award, old-style-acp

## Summary
Extension of a rural industrial estate at Raunds, allowed on 22 Sep 2026 alongside the 86-home outline (APP-M2840-W-25-3366989). The council conceded rural location and open space; the SPA functionally-linked-land objection failed on uncontested one-winter survey evidence.

## What made the difference
Same as the companion housing appeal: the council's own ecology advice that the land was not functionally linked, and no competing technical evidence. The 2026 Framework was held not to change the protected-sites approach, so parties were not consulted (DL ¶5).

## Policy findings
- **N6: pass.** not functionally linked land to Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits SPA; one winter's survey sufficient (DL 8-11)
- **E2: accord.** council withdrew rural-location objection after the Thrapston appeal (APP/M2840/W/25/3362393) led it to reconsider policy weight (DL 4; Costs DL 17)

## Key facts
- Companion to APP-M2840-W-25-3366989; same SPA reasoning and same transitional note (parties not consulted on the 2026 Framework)
- Full costs sought; award made against the council for the SPA handling

## Sources
- https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewDocument.aspx?fileid=66106637

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/APP-M2840-W-25-3366988.html

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