New homes neighbouring Northampton trading estate approved by councillors

The scheme will see three blocks of two-bed semi-detached houses built, with off road car parking spaces and electric vehicle charging points adding up to 12 spaces overall.

The Brownlee Place site is a long narrow parcel of overgrown and vacant land that backs onto the existing homes on Balland Way and Flinters Close.

Objections were raised against the scheme by Wootton Parish Council with concerns over the loss of light, over shadowing and worries that it was adjacent to a busy highway with vehicles accessing Trade Estate. Their concerns were echoed by ward councillor Phil Larratt, the deputy leader of the borough council. One Balland Way resident told councillors the new homes would overlook their own property.

But none of the objections at Tuesday’s meeting (November 24), could dissuade councillors from voting against it. This came after planning officers advised that refusing a decision would be ‘unlikely to be sustainable on appeal’ as the principle of development had been established with a 2011 housing application for 29 homes that had been approved.

Keith Howard, the applicant and owner of the site, told councillors: “I purchased the site earlier this year with the knowledge that it had an extant consent as part of a larger site on which development had already been substantially implemented.

“Having examined the existing commission I wanted to improve the scheme. I have sought to reduce the impact of the impending development on neighbouring properties as far as I am able and to improve the appearance.”

The scheme was approved by members of the borough council’s planning committee, with seven voting in favour and one abstaining.