Former Ravensthorpe commercial site set to be redeveloped with new homes

A former commercial site in Ravensthorpe is set to be redeveloped into a new housing estate if councillors follow the advice of planning officers.
An artist's impression of how the new housing estate would lookAn artist's impression of how the new housing estate would look
An artist's impression of how the new housing estate would look

Planning permission is being sought for the redevelopment of the Lingles Farm site on the outskirts of the village on West Haddon Road. It would see thirteen new homes made up of two and three-bedroom houses as well as some bungalows.

The site was originally in agricultural use, and latterly was used as a contractor’s yard and repair workshop.

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The proposal has attracted an objection from the parish council, while local residents are split on the application which has been submitted by Kingston Real Estate.

The site is situated between Ravensthorpe nursery and TorquemetersThe site is situated between Ravensthorpe nursery and Torquemeters
The site is situated between Ravensthorpe nursery and Torquemeters

The written representation from the parish council states: “The proposed development is outside the village confines and would be the largest in Ravensthorpe for more than 30 years, increasing the number of houses in the village by more than five per cent. The narrow access road and limited off-road parking provision for visitors is considered unsatisfactory.”

Six village households had submitted objections, with the main complaints being that there will be a loss of jobs if the site is redeveloped and Ravensthorpe not being ‘a suitable location for this scale of development’.

But four letters have been received from villagers who support the potential provision of small and medium-sized affordable family homes, or smaller affordable properties suitable for downsizing.

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Members of Daventry District Council’s planning committee will determine next Wednesday (November 20) whether to follow the advice of officers and grant planning permission for the scheme.

A layout of the current Lingles Farm siteA layout of the current Lingles Farm site
A layout of the current Lingles Farm site

In papers that will be read by the members, planning officers say: “For the redevelopment of the site to be supported it is necessary to demonstrate that this would respond to an identified local need, which should ideally be done by means of an up-to-date Housing Needs Survey. This has not been provided to date and therefore in strict policy-compliance terms, it is considered that the proposal cannot be supported until and unless that evidence is available.

“The application site is brownfield land, the re-use of which is specifically encouraged by planning policy, and has also evolved over several design iterations to give a less intense and more locally-responsive scheme that features a greater and more varied mix of house types than originally proposed.

“Consideration of this proposal is finely-balanced however on balance it is considered that the proposal in its revised form can be supported, subject to appropriate planning conditions.”