Could this be the last crop in Hardingstone? Campaigners say further 500 homes are threat to village life
It has only been two months since the Hardingstone Action Group lost its fight to stop the Homes and Communities Agency building 1,300 homes near the village.
And last week the Chron & Echo revealed a homes builder is scoping out another area next to Hardingstone as a possible site for nearly 500 new houses.
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Hide AdMarton Grant Homes and Harcourt Developments have submitted a “screening application” to Northampton Borough Council regarding a swathe of agricultural land at Wootton Fields.
Chairman of Hardingstone Action Group Adrian Bell, said the latest scheme would further erode the rural identity of Hardinsgtone.
“The identity is why people live here, it’s why people stay here.
“Through the generations that’s why people have moved here.
“Just when is Northampton going to be left alone.
“The whole greater Northampton area is just a target for developers.”
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Hide AdMr Bell believes the fact South Northamptonshire and Daventry authority boundaries creep into the Northampton area actually makes the town’s green parcels a target for developers.
A huge homes bid west of Duston will be decided by Daventry, while this latest plan for Wootton Fields will likely be decided by South Northants.
“Of course they are going to say yes to these homes because it might stop more being built on their own doorsteps,” he said.
Last month Hardingstone Parish Council posted a picture of the rapeseed fields outside of the village stating: “This could be the last crop grown in the village.”
Mr Bell said the new 500 homes plan has come as a shock.
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Hide AdWhile the Homes and Communities Agency successfully argued its 1,000 homes would not affect the view or “skyline” looking out of Hardingstone, Mr Bell says the homes at Wootton Fields would be far more visible due to the elevated position.
He says the first 1,300 will bring traffic on the Newport Pagnell road to a standstill.
But a further 500 in the future he said would make travel “impossible.”
“Me and another action group member said we might as well sell our cars,” said Mr Bell. “We will never be able to get anywhere near the Newport Pagnell Road.”