Plans for 520 new homes, seven-a-side football pitch and play area in Northampton set for approval

The new estate will cover almost 25 hectares of agricultural land, near Wootton and directly below the Brackmills Industrial estate. Planning officers have recommended that West Northants Council (WNC) approve the proposals at next week’s planning committee meeting (Tuesday, May 21).

The meeting is set to decide on multiple residential development applications, including plans for 217 homes in Far Cotton.

The applicants Martin Grant Homes Ltd and Harcourt Developments are seeking reserved matters permission, including details of the layout, housing mix, roadworks and infrastructure. The development received outline permission in November 2020 from Northampton Borough and South Northamptonshire councils.

The large neighbourhood would be known as Hampton Green, part of the South of Brackmills sustainable urban extension. A variety of house types and sizes have been set out including one to two-bed flats and two to four-bedroom houses.

In total, 68 homes will be sold at affordable rent or through shared ownership. They have been designed to be ‘tenure blind’ to ensure they are indistinguishable from the other houses.

Planning policy requires new residential developments to provide 35 per cent affordable housing, however the scheme’s requirement was lowered to 13 per cent after an assessment determined it would not be viable otherwise.

Blueprints detail the provision of an open green, seven-a-side pitch and equipped play area in the centre of the neighbourhood. Developers say it has been designed as the “focal point” of the estate to encourage “healthy lifestyles and play in a safe environment”.

The primary access route to the site is proposed at Newport Pagnell Road, replacing an existing T-junction with a four-arm roundabout. Some concerns have been raised by members of the public about the need for a revised speed limit along that stretch of road. WNC Highways has no objections to the proposal.

The development will also be subject to financial contributions in respect of education, highways, public transport, libraries and healthcare etc.

Though the Hampton Green development is part of the same scheme, the homes are registered under two separate applications due to the legacy council areas. The southern site, which is cut off by a minor road known as ‘The Green’ running across the development, offers 422 homes and the northern parcel offers 103.

A decision will be made on each of the applications individually.