Major plans submitted to build up to 70 homes as extension to Northamptonshire village

Ashberry Strategic Land has submitted plans to build on four hectares of land in Brixworth, between Holcot Road and Scaldwell Road.

The proposals include homes of up to three storeys, public open space, a play area and new landscaping.

The developer says 40% of the homes would be affordable housing.

The proposed housing mix is weighted towards family homes, with around 39 three-bedroom properties (56%) making up the largest share of the planned market housing. This would include around 15 four-bedroom homes (22%), 10 two-bedroom homes (14%), four homes with five or more bedrooms (6%) and two one- or two-bedroom flats (3%).

For affordable housing, the largest group would be around 13 two-bedroom homes (47%), followed by seven three-bedroom properties (24%), six one- or two-bedroom flats (22%), two four-bedroom homes (6%) and one home with five or more bedrooms (1%).

The planning statement says affordable homes would be spread across the development and designed to look similar to the market homes, so they would be visually integrated into the scheme.

Ashberry Strategic Land says the development would help meet housing need, while also providing public open space and a play area, improving walking and cycling links around Brixworth.

The developer says that bringing more residents to the village would support local shops and services, while construction would create jobs.

Ashberry Strategic Land’s describes the aim as creating “a well integrated, high quality new place”.

In planning papers, the developer says: “Overall, Brixworth is a suitable location to meet WNC’s future housing growth requirements.

“In summary, the social, economic and environmental economic benefits are very great overall and outweigh the very limited harm identified by a considerable margin.”

However, the development would mean building on agricultural land on the edge of the village. In planning papers, the developer identifies the loss of an agricultural field in the open countryside as the scheme’s only adverse impact.

The statement also says the council is unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.

The application comes as West Northamptonshire Council works on its Local Plan, which is intended to set out where new homes and other development should be built across the area up to 2043.

The council had tried to scrap the draft plan and start again, but the Government intervened and ordered it to continue with the existing version.

The plan is important because it helps the council show it has a five-year supply of housing land and gives it greater control over where development takes place.

Without a demonstrable five-year housing land supply, developers can argue there is a stronger case for building on sites that might otherwise be considered unsuitable.

The Government recently ordered the council to open a public consultation on the draft plan. The consultation is due to close on November 16, with the plan to be submitted for examination by December 31.