Campaigners call in advertising watchdog over new Northampton homes' punting river picture

Martin Grant's website advertising homes at the Buckton Fields development has left some people puzzled as to why it does not feature hardly any pictures of Northampton.

Martin Grant Homes is currently marketing a range of two, three, four and five bedroomed homes at the Buckton Fields land north of the town.

But the images used to advertise the site on the housebuilders' website have irked those who opposed the controversial development.

Charlotte Mackaness, a Boughton mum-of-three who started a campaign to stop the over-development of land around the Boughton and Kingsthorpe area earlier this year, is one of a number of people to refer Martin Grant to the Advertising Standards Agency.

Two women are pictured shopping the Martin Grant Homes brochure, but they do not appear to be on a Northampton street.

The main image on the website shows what appears to be an idyllic punting river complete with moored canal boats and what appears to be a man kayaking.

However, the picture looks to be a shot of the River Cam in Cambridge.

Blurb in the downloadable brochure states Buckton Fields is "ideally positioned between historic Northampton and the picturesque village of Boughton", though no pictures of Boughton feature.

A section talking about the shopping offer in Northampton town centre appears to show two women on a high street in another part of the world.

Dozens of people have taken to the Northern Orbital Route Facebook page to criticise the advertising tactic.

Graham Nichols, said: "It doesn't make any sense, they wax lyrical about being close to pretty Boughton but instead market with images of Cambridge."

And Tiffany Nichols added: "Surely that is misleading advertising and the Advertising Standards Agency should get involved? I think I'll make a complaint."

Others took to the Facebook page to confirm they had filed a complaint with the advertising watchdog.

A spokeswoman for Martin Grant Homes, said: "Our marketing material includes indicative generic imagery, designed to illustrate the type of lifestyle on offer at our developments and the computer-generated images we produce across all of our developments offer buyers general guidance as to the final product, rather than a definitive specification.

"We encourage any customers who have any questions about the specification of their home at Buckton Fields to contact the on-site sales team directly on 01604 438231.”