Council to take important decision on plans to build hundreds of homes on Desborough's Ise Valley

The controversial plans for the housing development threaten green space to the south of Desborough.
-Credit: (Image: Google Maps)


North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) must make an important decision on the direction of plans for a housing development on green space in Desborough, more than a decade after the project was first set in motion.

On Thursday, September 12, the unitary council will decide whether it should continue with selling the land off of Rothwell Road, to the south of Desborough, to housing developers. This comes after the project hit another standstill as it was revealed that part of the land may be public open space and that NNC could be found in breach if it sells.

The land, which used to house the Hawthorns leisure centre before it was demolished, received outline planning permission in 2017 for the development. Housebuilder Bellway Homes has since submitted a reserved matters application detailing its plans for 255 houses on the green space.

Campaign group Protect the Ise Valley put forward the submission that the site is 'statutory open land' to fight against the Desborough housing plans. Councils are required to advertise a notice of their intention to sell any land containing open space for a period of two weeks and must consider any objections that arise.

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All progress was put on hold whilst the council received legal advice and its conditional contract to sell the land to Bellway has now expired.

NNC's executive members have been given a list of options they can pursue going forward including:

  1. 'Do nothing'- the existing disposal contract would remain in place, but without the open space issue being resolved the planning application would be unlikely to proceed

  2. 'Terminate the Conditional Contract and seek an alternative bid '- the council would back out of selling the land to Bellway with no penalty and try to find another bidder. NNC says this option would create 'uncertainty'.

  3. 'Terminate the Conditional Contract and consider alternative options for the site'- the council would back out of selling the land to Bellway with no penalty and consider retaining the council-owned land. This could include putting forward a different scheme that is in keeping with the open space surroundings.

  4. 'Re-negotiate the Conditional Contract to Extend the longstop date'- the council could continue with the sale to Bellway as the re-negotiation and consultation would remove any statutory open space protection breaches.

Responding to the consultation on the plans to sell the public open space, one resident said: "The scale of the developments and continual loss of green space is ruining our town. The Ise Valley end of Desborough is beautiful with lots of wildlife and scenic walks.

"Please do not allow this to be ruined as well."

Reserved matters plans for the 255 homes.
Reserved matters plans for the 255 homes. -Credit:Bellway Homes

Another said: "This land was given to the people of Desborough and should remain free for them to use for leisure purposes and provide much needed facilities in the town.

"I think it is wrong to sell this land for housing when the town has grown beyond its limits and more consideration should be given to the people living here and our needs."

The council contends that whilst there is a loss of open space in the reserved matters application, the overall development enhances the open space provided to residents. This includes the provision of 4.8ha of public open space containing a children’s play area, community orchard and informal natural play areas.

NNC planning officers noted in their report: "The fundamental question is whether the Council is content that the sale of the land in its ownership will have a greater overall public benefit from the resultant local housing, amenities and economic activity through the proposed sale, than not selling the land.

"In considering the above benefits yielded from the sale of the land and the representations made following the public consultation, it is the recommendation of Officers that the overall public benefit achieved through the sale outweighs the objections received.”

If the executive committee endorses option 4 (re-negotiation) the council will obtain a capital receipt of £2.5m for the land and secure section 106 funding totalling £2m for education, public transport, health care and footpaths/ cycleway. Bellway Homes will also be able to progress the required reserved matters application.