'It's heartbreaking': Row of large trees cut down in leafy Northampton suburb for access road into new housing development
“It’s heartbreaking,” say residents after a row of large trees were cut down in a leafy Northampton suburb to make way for an access road into a new housing development.
A section of trees along Rowtree Road in Hunsbury have been cut down to make way for a 1,000-home housing estate known as Collingtree Park, which is being builty by the Vistry Group.
A Vistry Group spokeswoman said: “Trees adjacent to Rowtree Road, together with those affected by the proposed reconfiguration of the golf course and the construction of the spine road connecting Windingbrook Lane to Rowtree Road have been removed as per the planning consents obtained. These works form part of the wider Collingtree Park Development.”
Residents in the area say it is ‘heartbreaking’ to see ‘another green space gone’.
One said: “Absolutely heartbreaking to see. We used to love wondering through there during Covid. It was magical. We used to see so many muntjacs, deer, foxes etc... What I am also wondering is will there be additional services such as drs? Even since the increase in houses at the bottom it's been terrible with traffic... guessing it's going to get a lot worse. Just another green space gone.”
Another wrote: “More houses, another road out to Rowtree Road and another roundabout.”
Homes at Collingtree Park are being built by Vistry across several phases under both the Bovis Homes and Linden Homes brands.
In total, the scheme will deliver 1,000 homes. Vistry said 700 homes will be sold on the open market, while 300 will be affordable housing. Of those, 150 homes are being delivered through section 106 planning obligations, with a further 150 classed as additional affordable homes. Vistry said it formed a partnership with Clarion Housing to convert homes originally planned for private sale into additional affordable housing.
Work on the site began in May 2021 and the development is being built in two phases. The first phase has delivered 349 homes, with a further 651 homes planned as part of the second phase.
The development includes a number of play parks and open spaces. The second phase will also bring additional community facilities, including a community centre, shops and commercial space, and sports pitches.
The development has a gross development value of £400 million and is being built on greenfield land. Vistry said the project has a social value of £12 million.
Detailed archaeological investigations carried out in 2022 uncovered Roman artefacts dating back around 1,800 years.