If North Northamptonshire council grants planning permission for either or both sites, the applications could be “called in” by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who could either endorse the council’s approval, or over-ride it and refuse planning permission.
In some circumstances there may be scope for a judicial review of a planning approval made by either the council, or the secretary of state. But this process is complicated and costly, which is why it is so important to raise concerns now, and to ensure the community is well-organised to object to any planning applications that emerge in the months ahead.