Plans for 850-home development near Northampton set for approval despite hundreds of objections
Plans to build a massive new housing development of up to 850 homes on the outskirts of Northampton are set to be approved by the council.
The controversial plans for a new housing estate to the east of Grange Park received more than 500 letters of objection and just two in support addressed to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC).
According to planning papers, the site, led by Manor Oak Homes, would be built on 43.6 hectares of agricultural land between Grange Park and Quinton. The homes would be bounded by Foxfield Country Park and Wootton Road at the north of the site and stretch across to the M1 at the bottom, making roughly an L-shape.
As well as the homes, the site would provide a new local centre, land for a new primary school, open space including an extension to the adjacent country park, community allotments and pedestrian and cycle links.
The plans also state that 45 per cent of the residential units (382 homes) would be offered as affordable rent, which is a greater proportion than required by WNC policy.
‘Overcrowded and soulless’
On top of the 534 public objections, six of the neighbouring parish councils and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England have also informed WNC of their opposition to the plans. Many concerns were raised around the loss of green space, local roads not being able to cope with additional traffic, and the destruction of the protective buffer between Northampton and Quinton.
One objector commented: “I moved to Grange Park so I could enjoy the open countryside around Grange Park with my family. This new development will destroy the beautiful views from Foxfields Country Park and make this area like every other estate in the town, overcrowded and soulless.”
Another added: “There is still no need for the housing. Most of all, Quinton would become a suburb of Northampton which completely negates the reason the residents chose to live there.
“We wanted a quiet village life and this site causes the village to become part of Northampton, would increase movements through the village, and destroy the village life.”
Other objectors also pointed out that previous plans for a smaller development of 300 homes and a new school on the same site were turned down by South Northamptonshire Council in 2020. The developer’s subsequent appeal against the decision was also upheld by the planning inspector.
Recommendation for approval
WNC officers acknowledged in their report that the site lies fully within the open countryside and is not allocated for development. They also agreed that there would be some visual harm to the site itself and views from Foxfield Country Park.
However, the report also noted a recent decision by the planning inspectorate, which concluded that the council could not demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, meaning a ‘tilted’ balance must be applied. This means any identified harms would have to “significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits”, which would push decision makers to weigh more in favour of future residential developments.
Officers ultimately concluded that the landscape and visual harm “do not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the identified substantial benefits and the contribution the proposal would make to the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes” and recommended planning permission should be granted.
It will be up to councillors sitting on the strategic planning committee on Tuesday (June 16) whether to go with the officer’s advice or turn the plans down for other reasons.