Notice for registration of land as a town or village green - land off Barton Road, Barton Seagrave

Barton Seagrave village green inquiry directions

In the matter of application VG256 for the registration as a new town or village green of land at Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northamptonshire

Directions of the inspector for the public inquiry

Definitions

In these Directions:

• “the Registration Authority” means North Northamptonshire Council.
• “the Registration Authority’s Service Address” means North Northamptonshire Council, Legal Services,, The Corby Cube, George Street, Corby, Northamptonshire, NN17 1QG (Ref: Sanya Akhtar).
• “the Inspector” means Mr Edwin Simpson.
• “the Inspector’s Service Address” means New Square Chambers, 12 New Square, Lincoln’s Inn, London WC2A 3SW.
• “the Application” means the application under section 15 of the Commons Act 2006 for registration as a town or village green of land “the Application Land” at Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northamptonshire on 8 June 2023 and allocated number VG256.
• “the Applicant” means Mr John Hunter.
• “the Applicant’s Service Address” means 149 Manor Road, Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN15 5WE.
• “the Main Objector” means Manor Oak Homes Ltd, White Lodge Farm, Walgrave, NN6 9PY (Ref: William Main) “Manor Oak”; together with Lyne Awbery, Richard Awbery, Sharon Giordano, Sandra Barrott, James Alexander Thomson, Alan Beddows, Ian Richard Walker, Michael John Smith, Shirley Dawn Smith, Francesco Giordano and Phoenix Executive Services Limited (together “the Owners of the Application Site”; and Alistair Brodie of Bletsoes Chartered Surveyors.
• “the Main Objector’s Service Address” means Shakespeare Martineau LLP (Solicitors), Waterfront House, Waterfront Plaza, 35 Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3DQ (Ref: Paul Wakefield).
• “the Other Objectors” means any other Objectors who identify themselves to the Registration Authority by 26 August 2025.
• “the Parties” means the Applicant, the Main Objector, and the Other Objectors.

Key dates

Thursday 14 August 2025
Date of these Directions.

Friday 15 August 2025
Date of circulation of these Directions to the Applicant and the Main Objector.

Tuesday 19 August 2025
Date by when the Inquiry Dates will be publicly advertised.

Tuesday 26 August 2025
Date for confirmation of any Other Objectors and any other witnesses.

Tuesday 2 September 2025
Date for exchange of Inquiry bundles.

Tuesday 9 September and Thursday 11 September 2025
Inquiry dates.

Inquiry arrangements

1. The Inquiry will take place in the Council Chamber of North Northamptonshire Council, at Cedar Drive, Thrapston, Northamptonshire NN14 4LZ, commencing at 10am on Tuesday 9 September 2025 and continuing if necessary on Thursday 11 September 2025 (but not on Wednesday 10 September 2025).

2. The sitting hours will be from 10am to approximately 5pm on each day, subject to variation at the Inspector’s discretion. There will be approximately an hour’s break for lunch starting at around 1pm, and short breaks in the morning and afternoon (as convenient).

3. An evening session may be arranged between 6pm and 8pm on one of the Inquiry days, if necessary. By 4pm on Tuesday 2 September 2025, the parties will notify the Registration Authority if any of their witnesses cannot attend the Inquiry to give evidence during working hours, so that an evening session will be required.

Publicity

4. The Registration Authority will no later than Tuesday 19 August 2025 publicise the Inquiry:

4.1 on its website

4.2 by placing an advertisement in at least one local newspaper circulating in the area of the Application Land

4.3 by placing notices in conspicuous positions on or near the Application Land

4.4 by any other means or by service on such other persons as the Registration Authority may consider appropriate to bring the Inquiry to the attention of persons likely to be affected by the Application.

5. Each notice of the Inquiry should state that:

5.1 these Directions have been made, containing detailed instructions for preparation for the Inquiry and information as to the conduct of the Inquiry, and are available on the Registration Authority’s website

5.2 any person interested in the subject matter of the Inquiry who is not being called as a witness by any of the Parties and who wishes to give evidence or make submissions must by 4pm on 26 August 2025:

5.2.1 notify the Registration Authority in writing of their intention to attend the Inquiry for that purpose, indicating whether or not they support the Application, and giving details of their availability to attend on the dates set out in direction 2 above, and
5.2.2 provide the Registration Authority with a signed and dated written statement of the evidence that they wish to give.

If the Registration Authority receives any notification or statement under direction 5.2, it will provide a copy of that document to the Inspector and to the parties as soon as reasonably practicable.

Inquiry bundles

6. The Applicant will by 4pm on 2 September 2025 prepare a fully indexed and paginated Inquiry bundle containing the documents listed in direction 7 below, and serve:

6.1 one copy of that bundle upon the Main Objector at the Main Objector’s Service Address

6.2 one copy of that bundle upon the Inspector at the Inspector’s Service Address; and

6.3 two copies of that bundle upon the Registration Authority at the Registration Authority’s Service Address.

7. The Applicant’s Inquiry bundle will consist of a lever arch file or files, divided into sections and containing legible copies of:

7.1 the Application and any documents supplemental to the Application (exclusive of evidence questionnaires)

7.2 a large scale OS map (at a scale of not less than 1:1,250) marked to show the boundaries of the Application Land

7.3 large scale OS maps (at a scale of not less than 1:10,000) respectively marked to show the boundaries of the geographical areas relied upon as a “locality” or “neighbourhood” for the purposes of the Application

7.4 in respect of every witness whom the Applicant may call to give oral evidence at the Inquiry, a signed and dated written statement of that witness’s evidence. The statement should be in the witness’s own words. It may take the form of a statutory declaration. All such statements are to be arranged in alphabetical order by reference to the witnesses’ surnames. Any previous witness statement, evidence questionnaire or letter signed by the witness should be filed immediately after the witness’s statement in each case

7.5 all other witness statements or statutory declarations upon which the Applicant wishes to rely in support of the Application, arranged in alphabetical order by reference to the witnesses’ surnames. Any evidence questionnaire or letter signed by the witness should be filed immediately after the witness’s statement in each case

7.6 all other evidence questionnaires upon which the Applicant wishes to rely in support of the Application

7.7 any other documents (including maps and photographs) relied upon by the Applicant in support of the Application, arranged in chronological order with the earliest at the front

7.8 a written summary of the Applicant’s case, including legal submissions, and a list of all legal authorities relied upon by the Applicant (referring to the best available report (if any) of each case).

8. The Main Objector will by 4pm on 2 September 2025 prepare a fully indexed and paginated Inquiry bundle containing the documents listed in direction 9 below and serve:

8.1 one copy of that bundle upon the Applicant at the Applicant’s Service Address

8.2 one copy of that bundle upon the Inspector at the Inspector’s Service Address

8.3 two copies of that bundle upon the Registration Authority at the Registration Authority’s Service Address.

9. The Main Objector’s inquiry bundle will consist of a lever arch file or files, divided into sections and containing legible copies of:

9.1 its representations in objection to the Application

9.2 in respect of every witness whom the Main Objector may call to give oral evidence at the Inquiry, a signed and dated written statement of that witness’s evidence. The statement should be in the witness’s own words. It may take the form of a statutory declaration. All such statements are to be arranged in alphabetical order by reference to the witnesses’ surnames. Any previous witness statement, statutory declaration, or letter signed by the witness should be filed immediately after the witness’s statement in each case

9.3 all other witness statements or statutory declarations upon which the Main Objector wishes to rely in opposition to the Application, arranged in alphabetical order by reference to the witnesses’ surnames. Any previous witness statement, statutory declaration, or letter signed by the witness should be filed immediately after the witness’s statement in each case

9.4 any other documents (including maps and photographs) relied upon by the Main Objector in opposition to the Application, arranged in chronological order with the earliest at the front

9.5 a written summary of the Main Objector’s case, including legal submissions, and a list of all legal authorities relied upon by the Main Objector (referring to the best available report (if any) of each case).

10. In the Inquiry bundles prepared pursuant to directions 6 to 9 above:

10.1 documents (including photographs) exhibited to, or referred to in, witness statements, statutory declarations and evidence questionnaires shall be included immediately after the statement, declaration or questionnaire referring to them (and shall not be duplicated in the section of the inquiry bundle containing other documents relied upon)

10.2 double-sided copying of documents shall be undertaken wherever reasonably practicable. Both sides of each sheet in the inquiry bundles will carry a page number. Where double-sided copying of a document with an odd number of pages results in the reverse of the last sheet of the copy being blank, the words “intentionally blank” should appear on that page

10.3 documents which in their original form contain colour must be reproduced in colour

10.4 each photograph is to be accompanied by a caption stating by whom it was taken and the date on which it was taken (if known), or the source from which it was obtained and its approximate date, and what the photograph is said to show.

10.5 in the case of any written statement of a prospective oral witness’s evidence exceeding in length 1,750 words, a written summary of that statement shall be prepared and included in the relevant inquiry bundle immediately after the statement; and only that summary shall be read at the inquiry, unless the Inspector permits or requires otherwise.

10.6 the parties shall include copies of documents in their respective inquiry bundles, but shall bring to the Inquiry all such originals as are in their possession or control. In respect of documents the originals of which are not in their possession or control, details of where the original is kept and available for inspection shall be included in the inquiry bundle.

11. The Parties shall jointly prepare a consolidated bundle of legal authorities. Such bundle should be indexed and contain double-sided photocopies of the authorities. Two copies of the bundle shall be brought to the Inquiry on the first day for the Inspector and the Registration Authority.

12. The Registration Authority will by 4pm on 2 September 2025 provide the Applicant, the Main and any Other Objectors, and the Inspector at their respective Service Addresses with a bundle containing:

12.1 copies of the relevant part of every version of the definitive map and statement of public rights of way in force since 2000 showing public rights of way across or in the vicinity of the Application Land, and of any modification orders or applications for modification orders affecting the Application Land made under section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 since 2000

12.2 if the Application Land is wholly or partly registered as common land, copies of the land, rights and ownership sections of the relevant register unit(s) together with a coloured copy of the relevant parts of the register map

12.3 copies of any written representations submitted to the Registration Authority in connection with the Application by members of the public acting independently of the Parties.

13. The Registration Authority shall bring one copy of each Inquiry bundle to the Inquiry for use by witnesses.

14. Any interested person shall be entitled by prior appointment in Registration Authority business hours at any time before the Inquiry to inspect at the Registration Authority’s Service Address any Inquiry bundle held by the Registration Authority (contact: Sanya Akhtar).

Proceedings at the inquiry

15. The Inquiry will be conducted in the following order:

15.1 introductory remarks by the Inspector

15.2 the Applicant’s opening statement

15.3 the evidence of the Applicant’s witnesses (including any cross-examination and re-examination)

15.4 the evidence and submissions of any members of the public who have given notice and have identified themselves as supporters of the Application pursuant to direction 5.2 above (including any cross-examination on behalf of the Objectors)

15.5 the Main Objector’s opening statement (if any)

15.6 the evidence of the Main Objector’s witnesses (including any cross-examination and re-examination)

15.7 the Other Objectors’ opening statement (if any)

15.8 the evidence of the Other Objectors’ witnesses (including any cross- examination and re-examination)

15.9 the evidence and submissions of other members of the public at the discretion of the Inspector (including any cross-examination)

15.10 the Main Objector’s closing submissions

15.11 the Other Objectors’ closing submissions

15.12 the Applicant’s closing submissions.

16. Witnesses or submissions may be heard out of order at the discretion of the Inspector if good reason is shown.

17. Evidence will be given unsworn.

18. The Inspector:

18.1 will conduct a site visit to the Application Land and surrounding area accompanied by representatives of the parties at a time to be arranged following the conclusion of the evidence; and

18.2 may make an unaccompanied site visit at any time.

19. The Inspector will prepare and provide a written report and recommendation for the Registration Authority after the conclusion of the inquiry.

Varying these directions

20. Any Party may make a written application to the Inspector to vary or supplement these Directions, or to hold a pre-Inquiry meeting, at any time before the Inquiry commences. Any such application shall be submitted to the Registration Authority, which will as soon as practicable forward a copy to the Inspector, and simultaneously copied to the other parties.

21. The Inspector may supplement or vary these Directions at any time prior to the commencement of the Inquiry, with or without such an application.

22. Any correspondence relating to the Application or the Inquiry between the Registration Authority and any of the Parties shall be copied to the other Parties. Any communications with the Inspector shall be made through the Registration Authority (save for service of Inquiry bundles as directed above).

Edwin Simpson
Lincoln’s Inn
14 August 2025

Last updated 19 August 2025