Plans to build more than 400 new homes in a Northamptonshire town are set to go in front of councillors this week.

Two separate planning applications to build on the Towcester Vale sustainable urban extension (SUE), which lies to the south of the market town, have been recommended for approval by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) officers.

Outline planning permission for the wider development, which consists of 2,750 homes, employment land, a local centre and schools on farmland below Towcester, was green-lit nearly a decade ago, in 2015. The current proposals seek reserved matters approval for 406 homes at the bottom of the extension, near Wood Burcote.

Barratt Homes Northampton and Persimmon Homes Midlands make up the two developers vying for approval. The WNC planning committee will consider both proposals at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon (December 17).

Both parcels of homes will sit on either side of the Burcote Road roundabout, at the bottom of the Towcester Vale urban extension.
Credit: Google — Both parcels of homes will sit on either side of the Burcote Road roundabout, at the bottom of the Towcester Vale urban extension. Credit: Google

placeholder image — Both parcels of homes will sit on either side of the Burcote Road roundabout, at the bottom of the Towcester Vale urban extension. Credit: Google

The proposed house types are a mixture of one to four-bed properties. Across both sites, there will be 38 affordable homes which amounts to just under 10 per cent of the total homes proposed.

Both applications include areas of public open space within the housing developments and the larger parcel of 246 homes also offers an equipped play area.

Towcester Town Council has objected to the 160-home package due to concerns over the number of visitor parking spaces and the general view that further development of the site should be paused until the proposed amenities to support current and future residents of the SUE are delivered.

Though it did not object to the larger Persimmon Homes application, it did voice concerns that the developer has “consistently failed to meet its planning obligations” for planned amenities, especially with the delivery of the Towcester Relief Road.

The boundaries of the larger parcel of 246 homes, proposed by applicant Persimmon Homes, is highlighted in red. The other 160-home application, submitted by Barratt Homes, is located directly below the Primary School West. Credit: Persimmon Homes

Council officers confirmed that the delivery of expected amenities is being monitored ‘continuously’. They added that facilities are being delivered ‘on time or as soon as practicably possible’ by developers and that there are currently no grounds to pause further construction or take enforcement action.

Planning documents indicate that on the smaller parcel by Barratt Homes, construction is expected to start in early 2025, with people able to move in before the year ends. Persimmon Homes said that, if approved, they will start working on the new homes immediately after they finish up their current residential projects within Towcester Vale.