£16m road expansion
THE GOVERNMENT has announced major road building plans for Northampton worth a total of £16 million.
New roads would provide access to 9,000 new houses which will be built as part of the Government's massive expansion plans for the town over the next 15 years.
Exact details of the road schemes have not yet been confirmed but the first section of improvements would run to Dallington Heath with another new road running from Upton to Swan Valley and a third linking Ransome Road and Eagle Drive in Far Cotton.
Saints owner Keith Barwell is chairman of the West Northamptonshire Urban Development Corporation (UDC) which will oversee Northampton's mass housing expansion. He said the announcement reflected the power of the group, which only held its first meeting this week.
"I know people are worried about the housing development but there's millions of pounds from the Government here today and the developers are also talking about putting in significant amounts of money.
"So I'm pleased about this investment. It's a step in the right direction but it's only one step and there are a lot more to be made before we get there."
Latest figures released by the Government show that by 2021 there will be 28,500 extra houses built in Northampton, 10,800 in Daventry and 8,100 in South Northamptonshire.
Announcing the new road plans, the Government's transport minister, Tony McNulty, said: "Transport will always be the lynchpin for growth and development and that is why the Community Infrastructure Fund is so necessary.
"It will specifically target those transport projects that will speed up delivery of extra housing which is fundamental to the Government's growth area strategy."
The most controversial of the three schemes is expected to be the one which runs to Dallington Heath. The 4 million road would be used to provide access to 3,000 houses which could be built on open land owned by both Earl Spencer and Northampton Borough Council.
The 9 million road from Upton to Swan Valley would provide access to at least 4,000 new houses and work to connect Ransome Road and Eagle Drive in Far Cotton would open up land for development of 2,000 houses.
Although the Government has shown a firm commitment to the road building schemes, they will not be fully approved until the autumn.
wayne.bontoft@northantsnews.co.uk
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