The strategic vision for the future of Wellingborough needs to be more “flexible” instead of just focusing on office development, according to the Chamber.
Wellingborough Borough Council’s Local Plan for Wellingborough highlights an increase in service-based employment as key to the borough’s economic future.
However, commenting in a letter to the council as part of a consultation, James Wilson, a Chamber Executive Committee member and planning consultant, said: “The Chamber does not believe that there is compelling evidence that major office development will be attracted to Wellingborough even with a redeveloped station which has higher commuter usage.
“This vision should be more flexible to accommodate changing social and economic trends. Supporting new employment is an important aspiration, however, this can also be delivered, maybe more realistically, through more manufacturing and engineering based jobs rather than just service and office-based employment.
“There is currently somewhere in the region of 500,000sq ft of pent up demand within Wellingborough for commercial floorspace (not B1a offices) from local companies which is not being serviced due to the fact that employment land is rarely released within the town and when it is it gets developed for large-scale warehousing.”
The Chamber also believes the council should utilise the “fantastic asset” of Sywell Aerodrome through commercial development.
James added: “Further capital should be made of the high-tech companies that are already located there and every attempt made to create a cluster of similarly related businesses which could have some link to aviation, high-precision engineering or motorsport and vehicle development.”
To read the Chamber’s full response, click here.