Fierce objections raised over plans to build 900 homes on land next to busy Northampton housing estate

Fierce objections have been raised by residents over a 900-home development on the edge of Northampton.

A public consultation was opened last month by Manor Oak Homes (MOH) to gather views about its proposals to build a large housing estate on land next to Grange Park.

The public consultation has now closed and objections have been lodged by Grange Park Parish Council, Quinton Parish Council and residents from each of the mentioned areas.

MOH said in its report: "Overall, it is considered that the proposed development would not significantly affect the landscape fabric of the site’s localised and wider landscape setting."

Many of the objections cite MOH's previous, separate planning application to build 300 homes on the same bit of land, which was rejected by the former South Northants Council and later by a government planning inspector in 2020.

One objector said: "We simply cannot understand how MOH can propose to build 600 homes on the same two sites which SNC officers originally advised them not to bring forward, and 300 homes on the same site which was turned down on appeal by the planning inspector barely a year ago. Yet here are MOH trying once again to force through its plan.

"MOH is effectively riding roughshod over over the legitimate and valid concerns of those who previously objected to the 300 homes site. It should be self-evident that, if 300 homes were not deemed suitable by the inspector, 900 homes would be three times worse.

"The document [scoping report]...seeks to give the impression that WNC ought to have no problem in giving the green light to MOH's app to build 900 homes - almost implying that it is, or should be, a fait accompli."

A Quinton Parish Council spokesman said the development would threaten the village's 'very existence'.

The spokesman said: "It threatens the very existence of Quinton as a rural community.

"As we said before, the site under consideration has been put forward not because the development is actually needed, or is in the right place, or is sustainable in the long run, but because the land is available. If built, however, it would concrete over yet more countryside while at the same time contributing very little to Northampton's economy."

Another resident said: "This site was the subject of a High Court Appeal in 2020 when HM Inspector DECLINED the application. All the reasons given are as valid today, as they were then.

"It seems an utter waste of council officials' time and public resources to even consider this latest application. I urge you to take a common sense approach not to take this application any further, as did HM inspector."

West Northamptonshire Council was asked for its views on the objections raised over the application.

A WNC spokeswoman said: "We have to consider all planning applications that are made to us, however we have an up-to-date local plan in place which any application would be assessed against.

"Anyone who has comments about a planning application can make these on our website, and all comments received relating to a specific application will be taken into account when it is determined.”

The Environment Agency added: "We have reviewed the Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report, dated February 2022 and confirm we have no comments to make."