Incredible drone footage shows transformation of countryside in Northampton to make way for new homes and £54.5m road

Take a look at incredible drone footage which shows the ongoing transformation of countryside in a busy part of Northampton.

Major works have been ongoing for months now in fields just off the Welford Road, in Kingsthorpe, to accommodate a new multi-million pound road and hundreds of new homes.

Work started in March 2022 on phase two of the £54.5 million North West Relief Road (NWRR) around the north-west corner of Northampton.

The NWRR will link the A428 Harlestone Road with the A5199 Welford Road. The section from the A428 to south of the railway line will be constructed by the developers of Dallington Grange.

Dallington Grange, between Harlestone Firs and Kings Heath, is a sustainable urban expansion (SUE) which will provide up to 3,000 new homes of mixed type and tenure alongside new employment, community uses, new schools, bypass infrastructure extension and extensive areas of open space, according to developers Persimmon Homes.

Phase three of the Buckton Fields development off Brampton Lane (pictured), in Kingsthorpe, is also ongoing and, once complete, will see another 262 home in the area.

Resident Richard Durham took his drone out to take a bird's-eye view of how construction works is coming along around the Welford Road area of the works.

Richard said: “I took my drone to near The Windhover on Welford Road to see how it's all changing, including the new road that will link Welford road to the Harlestone Road. I’m sure it will look nice when it’s all done.”

However, not everyone is convinced the road will be a success.

Sean Brady, the chairman of Whitehills & Spring Park Residents Association (WASPRA), previously said: “We’re sleepwalking into another planning disaster like the bus station and Angel Square. Our traffic assessments show gridlock is certain. The proposed roundabout is without question a danger with HGVs trying to navigate its multi-lane layout. This road will cause traffic to push down the various rat runs by parents making their way to school and it’s only a matter of time before the first casualty."

There are currently three-way traffic lights on Welford Road and Brampton Lane for new roundabout construction works until January 19, according to traffic reports.

Other works on the Welford Road will be ongoing until September 2024, according to West Northants Council.