Reform-led council identifies another bit of land next to Harlestone Firs for more housing on Northampton’s outskirts
The Reform-led council has identified land next to Harlestone Firs that could be used for future housing, according to new planning documents.
Part of the green wedge next to Harlestone Firs could be removed to allow housing, according to new documents published by West Northamptonshire Council.
A green wedge is an area of open land kept clear of development to stop towns and villages joining together. It acts as a buffer between built-up areas, protects the character of the countryside on the edge of towns, and prevents separate places from merging.
The green wedge land is immediately south of Harlestone Firs and north of York Way. It was originally protected to keep open space between Northampton and nearby villages, but WNC’s new draft local plan proposes removing that status so homes can be built there.
WNC’s report reads: “It is proposed to make a housing allocation on a piece of land immediately south of Harlestone Firs and north of York Way and as a consequence this part of the green wedge is proposed to be removed.”
The proposals have been drawn up by the Reform-led council, which took control in May 2025. They replace the previous Conservative draft and include updated proposals, including changes to green wedge areas at Harlestone, DIRFT, Grange Park and Daventry.
Harlestone Firs is a popular woodland used by thousands of walkers and families. The surrounding area has already seen major development. The 3,000-home Dallington Grange scheme was allocated and later approved under the Conservatives, and the £57 million North West Relief Road has also been built nearby, with around 1,800 trees removed from the edge of the Firs.
In October 2025, WNC turned down a separate plan for 100 homes on green space off Harlestone Road and York Way, bordering the Firs. More than 700 objections were submitted, including from Harlestone Parish Council. Officers had recommended approval, but councillors refused it over concerns about losing green space and the impact on the tranquillity of the woodland. Residents warned the development would break the boundary between town and countryside. The developer has since appealed, and that appeal is ongoing.
The new green wedge proposals will be discussed by the Planning Policy Committee at One Angel Square on Thursday 8 January 2026 at 6pm. Councillors are being asked to approve the plans before they go to a full council meeting on 19 January 2026.