Council votes to protect green space next to Northants town from sale to housing developer

Councillors raised concerns about the loss of green space and its impact on residents' freedoms should the land be turned into housing.
-Credit: (Image: Google Maps)


North Northamptonshire councillors voted to protect green space to the south of Desborough and terminate a contract signed over three years ago promising the land to a housing developer.

Today (Thursday, September 12), the unitary council decided to put a stop to plans to sell its green space, next to Rothwell Road, to make way for hundreds of homes.

The land, which used to house the Hawthorns leisure centre before it was demolished, was first identified for a residential development in 2014. It received outline planning approval in 2017 and Bellway Homes entered a conditional contract to purchase the land and build the homes in 2021.

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) were presented with the option to continue with the proposed sale or back out of it after it was revealed that part of the land could be classed as 'public open space' and therefore the authority could be found in breach as it didn't advertise the development to the public properly.

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Nine representations were made to the authority asking them to protect the land and keep it as green open space for residents. Campaign group Protect the Ise Valley, which has followed the application from the start, also strongly objected to selling the land to Bellway Homes.

Reserved matters plan for the 255 homes. The land is in joint possession of NNC and other owners.
Reserved matters plan for the 255 homes. The land is in joint possession of NNC and other owners. -Credit:Bellway Homes

Cllr Harriet Pentland, executive member for climate and green environment, said: "I do have concerns about the loss of green space which clearly has historical value for the community.

"Clearly, as a council we really want to be doing right in terms of looking after the environment and our green spaces and I do have difficulty with what’s being proposed in light of that loss there."

The executive was given a choice of four possible paths to pursue regarding the green space:

A. ‘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.

B. ‘Terminate the Conditional Contract and seek an alternative bid ‘- the council could back out of selling the land to Bellway with no penalty and try to find another bidder.

C. ‘Terminate the Conditional Contract and consider alternative options for the site’- the council could back out of selling the land to Bellway with no penalty and consider keeping the land itself. This could include putting forward a different scheme that enhances the open space.

D. ‘Re-negotiate the Conditional Contract to Extend the longstop date’- the council could continue with the sale to Bellway as the consultation would remove any statutory open space protection breaches.

The controversial plans for the housing development threatened green space to the south of Desborough, running adjacent to the River Ise.
The controversial plans for the housing development threatened green space to the south of Desborough, running adjacent to the River Ise. -Credit:Google Maps

NNC planning officers made a recommendation for councillors to accept option D as they said the "overall public benefit" from the housing scheme would outweigh the open space objections. This would also provide the council with a capital receipt of £2.5m for the land, secure section 106 funding totalling £2m and generate increased income through additional council tax payments.

Cllr David Howes, who is a ward member for Desborough and also sits on the executive panel, said: "From my point of view there’s been significant time passed now and I think we live in a different world than when this was given outline consent.

"The town is actually already accepting large amounts of development. This is not simple nimbyism of not wanting to add additional housing.

"If you live at the south of Desborough this is the last bit of open space. This, for me, is this council’s and this executive’s opportunity to support residents.

"I think it sends a clear message that actually this council will put above and beyond two and a half million quid in capital receipts will put residents first and will put the future of that town first when we can."

The executive panel went against their officer's recommendation and voted unanimously to endorse option C to terminate the contract and consider alternative options for the site.

As the land is in joint ownership the other landowners may bring forward a different scheme, but according to the NNC report it is likely that the whole development will no longer be viable.