Plans to build 114 new homes in Daventry have been put back due to concerns

Developers Stonebond Properties Ltd asked West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) for permission to build 114 homes in the Middlemore estate, near the Heartlands Business Park and Drayton Reservoir The site is the last parcel of land associated with the estate, which was first allocated for housing in the 1997 Daventry Local Plan.

Several years ago in 2018, the area of open grassland below Farnborough Drive was earmarked for a retirement care village. Astley Hall Care Home was built off the back of the approved plans, however the rest of the assisted living housing and community centre never materialised.

Councillors were called into a planning meeting on Wednesday last week (Jan 8) to debate the new proposals. Despite the plans only receiving two objections from members of the public, the town council voiced their worries about inappropriate parking spaces for residents.

WNC planning officers recommended committee members approve the current plans in a report published prior to the meeting. They explained that a viability assessment had been carried out which demonstrated that the normal planning obligations would make the development unviable.

A planning manager for Stonebond Properties told the committee: “After 27 years, the principle for housing here is well established and it is time for this site to deliver quality housing for local people. It is one of the most sustainable locations in West Northamptonshire, supported by policy and officers with the most minimal level of public objection.”

Cllr Sally Beardsworth (Lib Dem) raised concerns that the current plans were not well designed and that the committee was being asked to “rush through” the project.

“I’m really surprised that this is before us. Having read the report two or three times, I’ve never had a report that’s said we’re going with it even though it’s second-rate, virtually.

“I don’t believe that we should be providing homes for people in West Northants that are not the best we can do. Are we as an authority going to accept second-rate in future or are we going to push for excellence?”

A WNC officer replied: “What we tried to do is strike the balance between maintaining the delivery of homes, being realistic of what you can achieve in the market at the time and then delivering a reasonable quality scheme.”

Labour Cllr Harry Barrett agreed that more could be done to improve the scheme, such as including a playpark for residents with young children.

He added: “We have to set these environments up for people to use them. We all see the need [for housing], we’re just duty bound to make sure we’re doing it in the best interest of those inhabitants for the next 100 years.”

WNC chose to defer the application to ask planning officers and developers to renegotiate improvements to the scheme, such as play areas, garden sizes and parking. The scheme will be reported back to a future meeting of the committee when discussions with both parties have ended.