'Extremely unhappy' villagers call for 'road to nowhere' in Northampton to be built urgently

“Extremely unhappy” villagers are calling for a “road to nowhere” in Northampton to be completed to help alleviate traffic chaos in the area.

Harpole Parish Council (HPC) has voiced “strong dissatisfaction “with West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) over the “ongoing delays” surrounding the southern section of the Sandy Lane Relief Road (SLRR).

Construction of the southern section of the road, previously dubbed the “road to nowhere”, stopped more than a decade ago when proposals for new homes nearby fell through.

The relief road would effectively sit parallel to the current Sandy Lane, which runs between the A4500 and Berrywood Road, Duston.

In 2019, permission was given to build hundreds of new homes in the area, which included a section 106 set to be agreed to complete the road.

However, HPC is “extremely unhappy” with how construction is unfolding, saying that in the last six months the village has seen “unnecessary and unacceptable traffic volumes”, and is calling for the construction of the relief road.

In a letter to WNC and Conservative MP Chris Heaton-Harris, HPC said: “As a community we wish it to be known that we are extremely unhappy at the unfolding events affecting the parish of Harpole and the subsequent failure of WNC to progress what is clearly a thorny issue for them, the completion of the Sandy Lane Relief Road (southern section).

"It beggars' belief that we find ourselves with such a lack of forethought that WNC cannot find it in their hearts or minds to complete a road that was started over a decade ago, instead preferring to revert all traffic to a completely inadequate and now quite a dangerous and narrow lane (Road Hill in Harpole).

“Harpole are aware that the decisions taken previously regarding the SLRR are not a result of the current WNC, but as a unitary who else is able to pick up the challenge now?”

HPC has requested an urgent meeting with Conservative MP Chris Heaton-Harris, WNC, councillor Adam Brown (Bugbrooke ward), and representatives of Vistry and Miller Homes “to find a resolution which is acceptable to all”.

Responding to the letter, Bugbrooke councillor Adam Brown said the completion of the southern section is contingent upon securing a final section 106 agreement with the landowner.

He said: “The construction of the northern section of the road continues as planned and is on track for completion in March. The southern section requires a final section 106 agreement with the landowner to permit the construction of a small portion of the highway which will join up the northern section and the A4500. The major projects team at WNC and their colleagues in legal are in the process of negotiating and finalising this agreement.

“I have had multiple discussions with officers at the council and made Harpole’s concerns known at the highest level. I’m requesting that if there are any financial impediments to completing the southern section then capital funding should be provided by WNC to ensure there is no further delay, but the delays are largely contractual.

“I believe that the completion of the northern section of the road will relieve most of the current problems faced by village residents, and I’ve already asked that steps are taken to ensure there are deterrents to using the village as a ‘rat run’ after that stretch of road opens. Clearly the southern section of the road also needs to be completed in order to relieve the effects of increased traffic on Sandy Lane and I’m continuing to raise the issue on a regular basis.”

WNC confirmed today (Friday, January 12) said there are plans to join up Sandy Lane with the southern section “in the future”.

Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways, and Waste, said: “We understand that work remains on schedule, and we maintain regular dialogue with the developer. The section of road under construction will initially link up with the retained section of Sandy Lane, and there are plans to join this up with the unused (southern) section of the road in the future.”

The northern section of Sandy Lane has been closed to all traffic since June 12 while contractor Chasetown Civil Engineering completes ten-month reconstruction works to accommodate the developments. It is still on track to be complete by March 31.