Building work due to get underway later this year at new 140-home Daventry housing estate

A new 140-home housing estate in Daventry will start to take shape later this year.

Planning permission was sought last year to turn Drayton Lodge farm and B&B into a housing estate.

West Northamptonshire Council approved the plans in November, 2021 despite objections from Daventry Town Council and Staverton Parish Council.

Now Bellway, the housebuilder responsible for the development, has announced it is hoped building work will begin later this year.

The builder also aims to complete the first homes by spring 2023.

Ben Smith, managing director of Bellway South Midlands, said: “This is a significant development for Daventry that will involve demolishing a group of abandoned buildings and replacing them with high-quality new homes.

“The regeneration of the site will also include the provision of public open space and a play area for families, while 35 of the homes will be allocated as affordable housing for local people.

“We are naturally pleased our application has been approved by the council’s planning committee and we are looking forward to contributing to the ongoing development of the town in a sustainable way.

“With building work due to get underway later this year, we plan to welcome the first residents into their homes by Spring 2023.”

The 11.11-acre site was already allocated for housing in the council’s Local Plan, and forms part of the Daventry Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE) which is set to deliver 1,100 homes to the south-west of the town.

Access would be from the A425 with a pedestrian and cycle path, a bus layby and a pedestrian crossing over the road to link the development to the adjacent sports ground.

Buildings on the site, including a bed and breakfast and holiday cottages which have been disused since 2019, will be demolished to make way for the development.

Building work commencing is subject to the signing of a Section 106 agreement, which will set out the financial contributions the housebuilder will be making towards local services and infrastructure.

The wider SUE scheme, which is being delivered by a consortium of developers, will include a new primary school and local centre with shops, a community hall and pre-school facilities.