The proposed Rushden Lakes shopping development would reduce the income of Northampton town centre shops by almost a fifth, the borough council’s leader has said.
An inquiry into a decision by East Northamptonshire Council to approve the massive development starts next week.
Outlining Northampton Borough Council’s opposition to the plan, the leader, Councillor David Mackintosh (Con, Rectory Farm), said many people had failed to grasp the size of the scheme.
He said: “This is not another Riverside or a similar out-of-town retail park.
“It will be 43,000 square metres, that is taking the retail offer in Northampton then adding another third again. It is massive.
“An independent study has shown that the amount of money taken in the town centre would be down by 17.9 per cent.”
Alongside Northampton Borough Council, the district councils of Corby and Kettering will also be opposing Rushden Lakes at the three-week inquiry.
They believe the approval of the development has broken local and national planning rules, which are set to protect town centres.
However Councillor Mackintosh said the Grosvenor Centre extension will still go ahead.
“We will still develop the Greyfriars site and we are committed to doing that, although Rushden Lakes going ahead would obviously have an impact on it.”