Another 'frustrated' business calls for compensation over construction chaos at new housing estate in Northampton

More “frustrated” businesses and residents have spoken out against construction chaos at a new housing development being built in Northampton.

Threadgolds, a scrap yard and recovery firm, have spoken out against ongoing construction disruptions that have severely impacted their business in Sandy Lane, Harpole, for the past nine months.

The business sits right in the centre of two new housing developments being built between Duston and Harpole, called Norwood Quarter and Western Gate, which are being constructed by Miller Homes and Linden Homes.

Issues include the ten-month closure of Sandy Lane, changing of access roads, high volumes of large construction traffic, and a severe drop in passing trade without any form of compensation from developers.

A Threadgolds spokeswoman said: “I think we should get compensation not only for the inconvenience we’re having to put up with but also for our lack of trade. People don’t want to come here. Trade is just disappearing. It’s gone off a cliff completely.

"We used to get so much passing trade but nobody drives past here anymore. There’s no through road. The diversions just keep changing. There’s no consistent access road.

"It’s incredibly frustrating. We’re lucky, we get to go home at night, our neighbours Gary and Cheryl at Sandy Lane Plants are living it day and night.”

Asked what they would like to see happen now, Threadgolds said: “I don’t know. Get it over and done with but we’re looking at a long, long time. By the time it’s finished we could all be out of business because there’s nobody coming here.”

Resident Nick Chambers, who lives in Sandy Lane, has also spoken out about the way development is unfolding.

Nick said: “We have no idea what’s going on, nobody seems to be able to give a straight story. We’ve reached out to Highways, West Northants Council, developers, the builders and everyone has got a different story.

“Originally we were sold this dream that it would be the road would go all the way to the M1 over the road to nowhere. All the consultation and documentation supported that. The reality now is they can’t join the road so we have another road to nowhere scenario. They’ve taken the north section and routed it back on to the old Sandy Lane which goes past our house.

"They’ve also moved our driveway to effectively the brow of a hill so it’s inherently dangerous for us to leave our house on to Sandy Lane with lorries and cars travelling along it. What they’ve said is they will mitigate this with a 40mph speed limit, but in reality it’s inherently dangerous. Everybody who has seen it has said it’s so dangerous. But again, no one seems to want to take ownership of it and engage with us.

“No one’s giving a definitive answer around when Sandy Lane is opening, how dangerous it is, what they’re going to do to mitigate it. It’s a complete lack of communication around what’s going on. It’s really bad.

"The pressure to open the road is overwhelming now, and they will open that road come hell or high water.”

The developers have been contacted for comment.