Concerns grow at housing proposals
Politicians and anti-expansion campaigners have expressed strong concerns about latest proposals to build thousands of houses on the outskirts of Northampton.
Last week, the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit (JPU) published details of possible sites where more than 32,000 houses could be built around the edge of the town between now and 2026.
The proposed developments would see 18,000 houses built on land between Grange Park and Little Houghton, 6,900 to the west of Duston, 5,663 between Moulton and Overstone and 2,200 next to Collingtree.
Labour's MP for Northampton North, Sally Keeble, lives close to the proposed development site in Overstone and said many people had been shocked by the proposals.
She added: "People want to know exactly what's going to happen. And what really dismays me is how this information has come out, they don't seem to have talked to anybody in the town before publishing it all.
"I think a lot of people will be uncertain about what the plans actually mean and I'm certainly going to be asking people locally what they think about them.
"What I've heard from people so far has been very negative."
The MP said she was also concerned the proposals could lead to the value of houses close to the proposed development sites dropping, because buyers would stay away from the areas.
Her fears were backed by fellow MP, Brian Binley, who represents the Conservatives in Northampton South, where some of the largest new developments are proposed.
He said: "I'm appalled. I've always been opposed to the growth agenda because it has the effect of dumping too many houses on Northampton in too quick a period and all to solve housing problems in London and the south-east.
"Northampton should not be treated this way. Many of our communities that have evolved over a thousand years would be swept away."
Members of the Northants Residents' Alliance, set up in 2006 to oppose the Government's expansion plans, said they intended to stage a series of protests.
Group member, Roger Kingston, said: "We've had a flood of emails from concerned people saying we've got to do something about this. We're pretty much aghast about the whole thing."
The JPU, which is made up of members of Northampton Borough Council, Daventry District Council and South Northamptonshire Council, will discuss the plans on July 6. They are expected to be submitted to the Government in November.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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