Developer to finish relief road and build 1,900 new homes in Northampton

Barwood Developments have submitted a planning application for 1,900 new homes near Duston with new shops and amenities .

The estate would fill the Norwood Farm site north of the A4500 Weedon Road and would include a new school and community centre.

But Northampton residents will also be interested in a pledge by Barwoods to finally complete the highway dubbed ‘Road to Nowhere’, whose junction off Weedon Road has been closed off since it was laid eight years ago. No private motorist has ever driven on it in that time.

If completed, the road will in effect link Harlestone Road to Swan Valley.

More directly, it would join Upton Valley Way, which was completed in May 2009, and the ‘new’ Sandy Lane, which opened in January 2011.

Joel Essex, of Barwoods, said:“The missing second phase of the Sandy Lane Relief Road would run through the site linking the A4500 near Upton to Berrywood Road near Duston.

“The new road is vital to improving traffic problems and supporting existing, and new- planned, residential areas in West Northamptonshire.”

Plans for the new housing scheme include a new primary school and the long -awaited completion of a key section of the Sandy Lane Relief Road have been submitted to South Northamptonshire Council by Barwood Development Securities following a public consultation.

The site, which has been identified by the South Northamptonshire, Northampton Borough and Daventry District Councils to help meet housing needs, would see just under half of the 105-hectare site retained as public open space, with a number of ‘green’ features including new parks, woodlands and children’s play areas.

Changes to the scheme in response to comments from the public include new woodland planting as part of a 20-metre landscaped buffer on the western edge of site.

Jamie Gibbins, managing director of Barwood Development Securities Ltd, said: “We are delighted to submit our proposals to the council which, where possible, have taken into account the comments we received after our public consultation.

“Not only will they help to meet the area’s identified housing need over the next 15 years, crucially they will also deliver the long awaited completion of the Sandy Lane Relief Road which will support both existing and emerging local communities in the area in future.”

“By providing walking and cycle friendly routes into the site, both new and existing residents will be able to enjoy the vast areas of green spaces.”

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Harpole Football Club could be gifted part of the site

Barwoods has agreed to provide part of the Norwood Farm site next to Harpole Recreation Ground for the potential expansion of the ground’s existing sports facilities .

It follows discussions with the Harpole Playing Fields Association and Harpole Football Club and support for the idea from residents during the public consultation.

Meanwhile, the house builder has also claimed that the proposals – if approved – would also create an estimated 350 new jobs.

Around 300 of these would be construction roles, with the rest created by the proposed ‘local centre’, which is likely to be comprised of shops and other services.

The scheme could also contribute about £13 million to local council services as part of the government’s Homes Bonus scheme.

A decision on the planning application is expected later this year when it comes before a planning committee of South Northamptonshire Councillors.

Residents will be able to comment on the application.