Congestion fears over latest housing plan for University of Northampton campus

It comes as Persimmon Homes submits a planning application for the second phase of its housing estate at the University of Northampton's Park Campus.

Phase two will see 182 houses built off Boughton Green Road, in addition to the approximately 800 homes already approved.

Based on phase one, each home will have two parking spaces, suggesting almost 2,000 extra vehicles travelling through Kingsthorpe.

County councillor for the area Julie Birch (Lab, Kingsthorpe South) said assurances from Persimmon Homes do not hold much water.

She said; "Their argument is that there will be the same number of cars as the university generated.

"That may be the case, but during peak times staff and students were travelling in the opposite direction to the main flow of traffic.

"People living on the estate will be adding to the commuters."

Kingsthorpe is one of Northampton's most congested areas. The Cock Hotel junction causes lengthy queues on a daily basis, and during a heatwave July 2016 Kingsthorpe was the UK's most polluted place.

Councillor Birch said she saw the real need for new houses in Northampton but argued that new roads should come first.

She said: "It's a real dilemma. We need good quality houses but in every case infrastructure should be constructed before new estates.

"The orbital road would be the answer, to take traffic around the north of the town, but that looks unlikely to be built for years."