New 525-home development near Brackmills and Hardingstone recommended for approval

Hundreds of homes would be built to the south of the industrial estate with the land divided into two parcels by The Green, a minor single track road leading to Great Houghton.

The northern section of the site sits within Northampton Borough while the other sits in South Northamptonshire. The respective councils for both areas will determine the application for their sections only.

Members of Northampton Borough Council’s planning committee will meet next Tuesday (November 19) to make a decision. No date has been confirmed yet for South Northamptonshire to make a decision, although a planning meeting is scheduled for November 28.

The application, by Martin Grant Homes Ltd & Harcourt Developments Ltd, is for outline permission with all matters reserved except for access for up to 525 homes, open space and children’s play areas. This means that should councillors grant approval, the principal of the development will have been established. A second reserved matters application would come at a later date dealing with the design and layout of the homes.

Parish councils in both Great Houghton and Hardingstone have signalled their opposition to the proposals, while the Brackmills Business Improvement District (BID) said that it didn’t want to see a ‘negative impact’ on the road network in the estate. And 66 residents have submitted their views also.

Hardingstone Parish Council commented: “The proposed 525 houses are on top of 1,000 on a neighbouring site approved, which would add additional pressure to the traffic network in area, which already struggles at peak times.”

And Great Houghton Parish Council said it was ‘gravely concerned with the adverse impact on the village and residents’ because of the extra number of vehicles that would be added to current traffic levels.

The Brackmills BID group said it was ‘essential’ that any development came with a commitment to invest in infrastructure.

It said: “We would not support any development that could have a negative impact on both the highway network within the estate, in particular the A45 trunk road. We wish to ensure nil detriment to the operations of current businesses, and that there is no negative impact on the business park’s sustainable economic growth.”

Councillors will be told that the scheme could achieve ‘a reasonable profit level’ if it provides 13 per cent affordable housing along with community and infrastructure contributions. This falls short of the 35 per cent figure in the council’s joint core strategy, but officers say the scheme forms a ‘vital component’ for the five-year supply of land it needs for housing.