DCSIMG

Cautious welcome for new homes plan


Published on Sunday 28 June 2009 22:26

Proposals for housing developments in Northamptonshire have been given a cautious welcome by leading politicians, who have expressed concerns over possible congestion, flooding and inadequate facilities for residents.

Plans for up to 40,000 new houses to built around the edges of Northampton, Daventry and Towcester have been published by the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit (JPU).

The largest potential development site is land between Grange Park, Wootton and Little Houghton where 18,000 homes could be built.

An extra 5,663 houses may be built between Moulton and Overstone, 2,200 built on the edge of Collingtree and 6,900 built west of Duston.

And further expansion would also see more than 5,300 houses built around Daventry and almost 5,000 more in Towcester and Brackley.

Chris Millar, (Con, Guilsborough and West Haddon), is leader of Daventry District Council and vice-chairman of the JPU which will decide next month what proposals will be put out for consultation. He said: "This is still only the start of the process and there are no definites as yet.

"The decision to send it out for consultation will be made in July and it will take about six weeks and when we get all the feedback, only then will a decision be made.

"We'll wait to see what the responses are. Nothing's been agreed yet."

The proposals were put together as part of the Government's long-term scheme to increase the size of Northampton and the surrounding area over the next decade.

Colin Lill (Con, Nene Valley) represents the residents of Collingtree and Great Houghton village which could become part of Northampton if thousands of homes are built.

He said: "I've always maintained that if you live in a village it should not be taken away; look at what's happened to Wootton and Hardingstone. All this development is ridiculous, I'm totally against it and think enough is enough. I'll certainly support residents in opposing all this development."

Councillor Tony Woods (Lib Dem, St Davids), who unveiled the plans last week, acknowledged some proposals would be unpopular.

He said: "Inevitably this is going to be hugely controversial and there will be a number of people who will not be happy with the proposals we're bringing forward."

Parish councils and residents have voiced concerns over a lack of facilities and infrastructure and the sheer scale of the controversial plans.

Bob Boulter, of Hunsbury and Collingtree Residents' Association, said: "It is a bit difficult if development is needed because it does have to go somewhere.

"We just hope it is properly planned so sewage, pollution, congestion and flooding are all properly taken into account.

"Collingtree already exceeds its sewage limit and doctors say respiratory illnesses are quite common so to increase housing and traffic congestion is something we are concerned about.

"Flooding is also another issue as Collingtree Park has flooded several times in the last couple of years.

"Any new development is planned for outside the flood plain and we're concerned things are not made worse and should certainly be made better.

"We do have particular concerns in Collingtree because it is an enclosed site so it's difficult to see how they will deal with pollution, congestion and the sheer size of the development."

Major development has already been seen in locations such as Upton and Duston, but this is the first time potential sites for additional developments of new houses have been identified.

The JPU has said the expansion would see the creation of schools, leisure centres, shops and green areas.

Johnathan Nunn, chairman of Wootton and East Hunsbury Parish Council, said social facilities and infrastructure must be in place as the houses go up and not after.

He said "Development at Collingtree should really be questioned and opposed.

"As for the rest, it's a question of accepting there has to be some development and that it's going to happen. But our job to make sure it's done right and before people start moving in.

"We are concerned for residents but do welcome some of the stuff proposed such as roads, schools and jobs. There is also a great deal of concern some of these things are done too late.

"We will continue to resist the scale of development but above all we will try to make sure facilities are, first of all, adequate, secondly that they are timely while at the same time minimising the environmental and social impact. There is definitely a need for development. Our job is to resist the scale of it and ensure the facilities are right."


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