Major plans to build 67 homes as extension to Northamptonshire village REFUSED... again

Manor Oak Homes applied in May 2025 for outline planning permission for 67 homes on land off Stratford Road in Deanshanger.

The 3.55-hectare site was earmarked for a mix of one to four-bedroom properties, including bungalows.

West Northamptonshire Council refused the application on Tuesday (October 27), saying the development would encroach on the countryside and fail to respect the surrounding landscape.

The refusal notice said: “By reason of its location, separation from the built form of Deanshanger and prominent encroachment into the rural landscape, the proposal would not be physically well-related to the existing settlement and would fail to respect the character and appearance of the surrounding countryside.”

It added: “The local planning authority considers that the identified adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal.”

The council also refused the scheme because no Section 106 legal agreement had been completed to secure contributions towards local infrastructure and services.

The decision notice said: “In the absence of a Section 106 legal agreement the Local Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development provides for appropriate infrastructure, facilities and services required as a result of the development and necessary to make the impacts of the development acceptable in planning terms, to the detriment of both existing and proposed residents.”

Planning officers had recommended approval ahead of an October 8 committee meeting, subject to conditions and a legal agreement.

The committee report proposed that at least 51 per cent of the homes would be affordable, with 70 per cent of those classed as affordable or social housing and the remaining 30 per cent as intermediate housing.

It was the second attempt to secure permission for 67 homes on the site. A previous application for the same number of properties was rejected in September 2022.

When the latest plans were submitted, the applicant argued that the reasons for the earlier refusal had been overcome.

The applicant said: “It is the intention of the applicant to deliver a modest village-scale residential development that will create an attractive gateway to the village and will respect the transition between the urban edge and open countryside beyond.”

They added: “There is consistent pressure to provide new homes with a persistent and increasing demand for affordable properties. The scale and nature of the proposed development is such that it can be delivered swiftly and to the benefit of the council.”