Go-ahead given to 800 houses
Plans to build almost 800 new houses on the outskirts of Northampton have been given the go-ahead.
At a meeting at the offices of South Northamptonshire Council yesterday, planning permission was granted for 781 homes at Upton Lodge, close to both Harpole and the Princess Marina Hospital by a development control committee in Towcester.
The planning application known as "Norwood Farm" came under the consideration of councillors from the south of the county because, as with Grange Park, the land is technically in South Northamptonshire, despite being right on the edge of Northampton.
The development will include a large country park, which will act as a "green buffer" between the new houses and the villages of Harpole and Kislingbury. Plans for 1,784 more homes to be built on the Upton Lodge site, classed as being part of Northampton, were backed by the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) in November 2008.
At the meeting yesterday councillors debated the plans for 90 minutes and raised a number of concerns including the need for the development, the problems associated with building on a greenfield site, the benefits of the country park and flooding issues.
Speaking during the meeting, Councillor John Curtis (Ind, Heyfords and Bugbrooke) said: "Although it is a greenfield site it is probably better to build on this site than have development round the villages. The impact on the South Northamptonshire countryside will be negligible. You won't be able to see the house from Harpole. People would rather see them built here than round greenfield sites near the villages."
Councillor Stephen Clarke (Con, Blisworth and Roade), chairman of the committee, said: "The Norwood Farm proposal is a major development which the council recognises will have a big impact on the area between the edge of Northampton and Harpole.
"The committee discussed all the key issues at length and concluded that the scheme is acceptable in its own right and will bring important benefits to the community such as the country park. It will also help to prevent housing development in the district's villages."
The plans have been approved subject to the referral of the application to the Secretary of State and the securing of a satisfactory Section 106 agreement.
Email to a friend
Print this page- BREAKING NEWS: Tributes paid to Niamh Curry as brave five-year-old loses battle against cancer
- BREAKING NEWS: Pensioner dies after collision at Northampton shopping centre
- Man tied to tree and beaten on Northampton Racecourse
- BREAKING NEWS: Seven-year-old boy dies following house fire in Northamptonshire
- Northampton binmen at ‘breaking point’
- Northampton binmen at ‘breaking point’
- Staff strike at Northampton school over academy plans forces closure
- Saints’ stadium plans get support as long as traffic issues solved
- Eastern European pupils helping school standards across Northampton
- Vow to crack down on anti-social behaviour across Northampton’s eastern district
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
