Northampton plant nursery "still completely in the dark" after long-delay of major relief road – as WNC enters eighth week of silence

A Northampton plant nursery says they are "still completely in the dark" after the long-delayed Sandy Lane Relief Road (SLRR) missed yet another promised opening date – with no explanation from the council or contractors.

Sandy Lane Plants, run by Cheryl and Gary Barnett, has already lost more than 75 percent of its trade since construction began on the new road and neighbouring housing estates more than two years ago.

The ‘relief’ road – which cuts through the middle of two large new housing developments between Duston and Harpole – was supposedly set open at the end of May 2025. But two months later, at the end of July, it still remains closed.

Cheryl says no one from West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) or contractors Kier has been in touch. It is now eight weeks since WNC last provided an update to this newspaper regarding the road.

Speaking to the Chronicle & Echo, Cheryl said: “We’ve had no communication at all. We’re now nearly in August. Still nothing."

Customers can only reach the nursery by driving through the middle of an active building site – something Cheryl says continues to confuse and deter regulars.

Cheryl said: “People thought we were closed. I’ve had taxis cancel, deliveries returned to sender – some customers say they didn’t know we were still open. They think we’ve moved. I was told my temporary access would open eight months after they closed the road – it’s been two and a half years.”

Directional signage, she says, is still limited and confusing. One sign disappeared weeks ago and hasn’t been replaced, and requests to put signs on key roads – like the A45 or at nearby roundabouts – have reportedly been refused by WNC.

Cheryl said: “Millers and WNC will maintain that we’re always accessible. But it’s not been easy. It is definitely better now because it’s a consistent route. But it’s a route that WNC actively told me they did not want my customers to use – but it’s the only route Millers can give me.

"Millers and WNC aren’t communicating. Despite me notifying WNC of my concerns, none of them were addressed prior to work starting. And anything’s been ad hoc and retrospective and piecemeal.”

She added: “I’ve been trying to get signs on every single roundabout because I wanted it to be more noticeable. But they were very reluctant to give me anything more than I already had.

“If people were coming up the relief road, that would be really good to have a sign there, but they’ve just point blank said no.”

The situation, Cheryl says, has taken a major toll on her mental health. She said: “It basically made me feel like a business that I’ve worked for 20 years to build is really struggling to survive – and it’s had a massive impact on my mental health.”

Neither Miller Homes nor WNC has offered any compensation – and both have previously told her they won’t.

Cheryl said: “They’ve washed their hands of us. We’re outside the red line of the development, so we don’t exist to them. It’s felt like we’ve just been completely forgotten.”

She added: “They should never have closed Sandy Lane until the relief road was finished. They shouldn’t have closed the old Sandy Lane before the new one was virtually to the point of opening. It’s been a total cock-up. Very poorly managed.”

Miller Homes and WNC have both not responded to this newspaper’s request for comment.