‘Serious’ concerns raised about traffic, school places and infrastructure linked to 3,000-home development in Northampton

As previously reported, residents have raised concerns over council-led road works which will see Conway Close, a cul-de-sac in Kings Heath, become an access route to part of the development. Planning permission for the access route was approved in February 2021. Work has not yet started.

The developer, Persimmon Homes, previously said up to 100 homes would be accessed via Conway Close and that the arrangement was considered acceptable through the planning process.

Separately, a new roundabout and access road are also being built to connect Mill Lane to the wider development from the Kings Heath side.

Councillor Rufia Ashraf said residents had contacted her with concerns about the impact the development could have on the area, particularly in relation to traffic and supporting infrastructure.

She said: "A key concern is the proposal to create a through road into Kings Heath [via Conway Close] from the new development. Residents are questioning why additional traffic is being directed through an existing residential area when a new development should be designed with its own suitable infrastructure.

"There are serious concerns that the current road network will be unable to cope with the increased volume of traffic, particularly given the proximity of local schools and the existing congestion experienced by residents.

"Furthermore, with the withdrawal of government funding for the proposed free school, there are growing concerns about the delivery of essential infrastructure to support more than 3,000 new homes. Kingsheath residents are already experiencing the consequences of inadequate infrastructure, and many fear these issues will be significantly worsened by further development.

"As many will recall, I raised concerns with the council last year regarding the lack of regeneration in Kingsheath. A major factor behind this is the absence of sufficient infrastructure investment, which continues to hinder the area's growth and development.”

Responding to the concerns, West Northamptonshire Council said: "The transport impacts of the Dallington Grange development have been fully assessed through the statutory planning process, including a detailed Transport Assessment that has been independently reviewed.

“This assessment considered the cumulative impact of the development on the surrounding highway network. While additional traffic will be generated, a comprehensive package of mitigation measures – including junction improvements and traffic management interventions – has been secured through the planning permission and associated legal agreements. These measures are required to be delivered in line with the development.

“As Local Highway Authority, the Council is satisfied that, with these measures in place and delivered at defined stages as the development progresses, the residual impact on the road network would not be severe. This conclusion is in line with national planning policy. The development will continue to be monitored through planning and highways processes to ensure that all required mitigation is implemented as agreed.

“In relation to education provision, the Department for Education confirmed in December 2025 that it will not proceed with the planned free secondary school in the Kings Heath (Dallington) area following a national review.

“The Council continues to plan for school place sufficiency across West Northamptonshire. Future demand arising from housing growth will be addressed through established mechanisms, including Government Basic Need funding and developer contributions, to ensure there are sufficient high-quality school places available for local children."