Family-run business 'angry' after becoming 'victims' of construction chaos at new housing estate in Northampton

A family-run business is at breaking point after becoming the ‘victims’ of a huge housing development in Northampton.

Gary and Cheryl Barnett, owners of Sandy Lane Plants, are speaking out against the ongoing construction disruptions that have severely impacted their business in Sandy Lane in 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 built by Miller Homes and Linden Homes.

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

The Barnetts said: “We're angry. It feels like we're living in a building site. All we've had is nine months of aggro on top of aggro. It’s beyond a joke. I feel we’re going have to put up with this for the next five years.

"We're running a retail nursery here we can't have the road constantly blocked by construction vehicles.

"We are the victims of living on the wrong side of a red line. Every plan that came forward has red line indicating what is within their boundaries, we are outside of their boundaries. So, strictly speaking, as far as the builders are concerned, we don't exist – and it certainly feels that way. We feel we've been completely ignored by the planning process.

"The lack of communication, nobody seems to be telling us the same thing. Everyone's very evasive with the truth.

"The straw that broke the camel's back is when we go out in the evening we have to unlock a padlock and lock it behind us. I'm not a night watchman, it's not down to me to lock up a building site.”

The Barnetts, who live next door to their business, say they would have sold up or at least hired a solicitor before construction started.

They said: “If I knew how bad it was going to be we would have sold up. We’re 25% down compared to last year. We wish we spoke to a solicitor way back a year ago. We shouldn't have to live like this.

"We've spent 20 years building this business. We've invested a lot of money into it. My husband's planning on retiring in three years and I've got to build this up because it's my only source of income. I've got to build it up and it feels like it's falling down.

“We have never objected to the houses, we always knew they were coming, but they should not have been allowed to affect our access. They shouldn't have been allowed to start the works without having a consistent in and out access.”

Explaining what should have been done, the Barnetts said: “West Northants Council (WNC) should not have given Miller Homes planning permission to close the top of Sandy Lane. They should have left it as a through road because they could have built all the houses behind, made their money to fund the new road, but not close the original Sandy Lane until they'd finished the new Sandy Lane Relief Road and then none of this disruption would have happened.”

Asked what they would like to see happen now, the Barnetts said: “We want no more construction traffic up and down the road and a consistent in and out access ideally north and south, and compensation for our losses but I don't hold out much hope.”

The Barnetts added that WNC has plans to change the name of the original Sandy Lane to the bizarre ‘Sand Grass Lane’ for reasons not yet known.

This newspaper went to WNC in February asking if Sandy Lane would be completed on time by March 31, subsequently reopening to motorists on April 1.

A spokeswoman said: “The target date for the completion of the northern section of the Sandy Lane Relief Road (SLRR) being constructed by Miller Homes is April, and the developer is planning to implement a temporary link from Sandy Lane to the northern section of the SLRR up to Berrywood Road in April. The route between Berrywood Road and A4500 is anticipated to open in April utilising this temporary connection between the SLRR and Sandy Lane until the permanent connection is in place.”

The road was supposed to be completed in its entirety by March 31 2024, according to signage put up in June 2023.