Campaigners hit out after plans to build first phase of 3,000 houses in Northampton are given green light

Campaigners have heavily criticised plans to build the first phase of a 3,000-house development in Northampton.

Reserved matters plans to build 329 homes as part of the first phase of 3,000 properties at Dallington Grange were approved by West Northants Council (WNC) at a planning committee meeting on Monday night (April 17).

In February 2021, despite hundreds of objections from residents, Northampton Borough Council granted planning permission for up to 3,000 dwellings, a secondary school, two primary schools, 7.2 hectares of employment land, a local centre, the redevelopment of Grange Farm for a pub/restaurant/cafe or hotel, the extension of the North West bypass, and open space on land between Harlestone Firs and Kings Heath.

These first 329 homes will include 305 free market properties and just 24 ‘affordable’ homes, according to planning papers.

The free market homes will be comprised of 62 two-bed properties; 80 three-bed properties; 124 four-bed properties; and 16 five-bed properties.

The affordable homes will be comprised of four one-bed properties; 11 two-bed properties; eight three-bed properties; and one four-bed property.

This first phase of homes will be built in the south west corner of the site (next to Harlestone Firs) and adjacent to the under construction £54.5 million North West Relief Road (NWRR) that runs to the north west of the site.

A WNC planning officer said in a report: “The proposed development would create a high quality and attractive living environment for a new community and be sympathetic to the character and appearance of the area.”

Despite the approval, two campaigning residents have heavily criticised the plans.

Jake Blackburn and Mark Higgs at Local Research said: “The approval of these reserved matters is another example of developers holding power over a failing local planning authority.

“The planning committee passed the development by majority vote despite there being an overwhelming number of unanswered questions involving the detail behind the Section 106 agreement. The estates accompanying infrastructure projects have little or no firm commitment over when or if they will be built, adding yet more pressure onto an already overstretched local infrastructure.

“Northampton has chronic shortage of social housing, and this entire development does nothing to address the problem. It simply replaces vital community green space with the wrong mix of housing.

“The lives of people around Kingsthorpe, Dallington and Harlestone will be impacted for the next 10-15 years, furthermore, objections to the development have been completely ignored from 2014 to present day. Developer profit outweighs local best interests and needs.”

WNC has been contacted for comment.

The Local Research team went on to raise concerns over the felling of 1,800 trees in a section of Harlestone Firs, which happened in October.

According to developers Persimmon Homes and WNC, the felling off trees was undertaken in order to accommodate the Dallington Grange housing estate and the NWRR. Developers say approximately 8,000 native trees and shrubs will be replanted.

Local Research added: “Beyond the reserved matters, questions remain unanswered over how this project progressed with such little scrutiny and who is accountable for the large-scale tree removal within Harlestone Firs to facilitate a developer access road.

“The sign off raised immediate concerns over the consultation process and how little WNC engages. Every touch point with general public, residents or external bodies highlighted just how spectacularly those in governance are failing the people it serves.”

The Local Research team have been quizzing WNC on the felling of the trees for months now.

Stuart Timmiss, WNC’s executive director for place, previously told this newspaper: “The land is privately owned and is being carried out on behalf of the landowner, the Althorp Estate, largely in preparation for the construction of a section of the proposed NWRR as approved under the outline planning permission. The application was subject to ecological and arboricultural reports which assessed the impact and set out the necessary mitigation which will see significantly more trees planted than those removed. None of the trees on Harlestone Firs are protected and planning permission is not required to remove them but we are pleased that the owners take biodiversity seriously and that the outcomes across the estate will be positive.”

WNC added that no further report into the felling of the tree at the firs will take place.

"Those who have raised the issue with the council have been informed of this,” a WNC spokesman said.