60-home development near Wellingborough refused

Plans for the demolition of former farm buildings and construction of 60 homes in a large housing development near a Northamptonshire town have been refused by the council.

Developers Grace Homes applied to North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) for permission for a further package of residential houses in the Stanton Cross sustainable urban extension, near Wellingborough.

The proposals encompassed four one-bed units, 11 two-beds, 21 three-beds and 24 four-bed homes at Irthlingborough Road North.

The site is located approximately three kilometres to the east of Wellingborough town centre next to Irthlingborough Grange.

It has been used for several purposes in the past and contains a variety of buildings and hard standings which would have been demolished as part of plans.

The wider urban extension is set to provide another 3,750 homes to the county when completed, with some houses already built and occupied.

Outline planning permission for the entire area has been granted by North Northants Council, however further plans detailing the specific designs must first be approved before construction on individual phases can begin.

Six letters of objection were received from members of the public, stating concerns with privacy, additional traffic, and the effect on existing wildlife.

The council’s report said: “The proposed development of 60 dwellings would make a positive contribution towards meeting the housing targets for the growth town of Wellingborough and North Northamptonshire.”

NNC planning officers wrote that permission should be granted, subject to an appropriate S106 agreement and contributions from the developer.

Despite the proposals being recommended for approval members decided to put a stop to the plans and deny permission.

The reasons for refusal included the development lacking infrastructure and affordable housing.

They also found that it would have an unacceptable impact on neighbour residential amenity and that the road access would be insufficient for the size of the site.