17 major housing projects which have been approved by Northamptonshire councils in 2023

More than 3,500 homes have been given the green light across Northamptonshire this year as part of major housing developments.

In 2023, West Northamptonshire Council and North Northamptonshire Council said yes to building 3,629 homes in large applications of more than 50 properties. More housing within the county will have also been approved by the councils within smaller applications.

Here are all of the developments of more than 50 homes that went to planning committees and received permission to be built across Northamptonshire in 2023.

January

223 homes, Overstone Leys

At the start of the year, West Northamptonshire Council gave the go-ahead for the fourth ‘zone’ containing 223 homes in a large development near Northampton. The scheme comprises two one-bed maisonettes, 77 two-bed houses, 63 three-beds, 74 four-beds and seven five-bed houses. This forms part of the Overstone ‘sustainable urban extension’, which was given outline approval in 2021 for 2,000 homes.

February

222 homes, Malabar Farm, Daventry

In February, councillors at West Northants signed off plans for the first 222 homes in a Daventry-based estate. The houses will sit on two fields just off the A425 and are part of a wider development to build up to 1,100 homes, a primary school, a local centre, and food and retail units. Outline approval was given only three months earlier. The project will contain a mix of one to five-bed homes- 48 of these are to be affordable.

305 homes, Towcester Vale

During the same strategic planning committee meeting, the council approved a further 305 homes within phases five and six of the major development in Towcester. The proposals set out a housing mix of one to five-bed units, with a total of 31 affordable homes to be delivered by Persimmon Homes. The original outline planning consent for the site was approved in 2015 for almost 3,000 properties.

March

425 homes, Collingtree Park, Northampton

A month later West Northants’ planning officers and councillors met up again to green-light plans for the next stage of 425 homes to be built on a large housing estate on the edge of Northampton. The new homes will be made up of ten one-bed houses, 79 two-bed houses, 201 three-bed homes, 99 four-bed houses and 36 five-bed houses. An outline planning application was approved in August 2016 to build what will be the 1,000-home development.

April

71 homes, Brackley

Plans for 71 homes were also approved by West Northants Council to be built on an estate to the West of Brackley, just below Field View and north of the A422. The applicant, Lagan Homes Ltd, told councillors that the development would integrate with the previously approved site to the immediate north-west. The estate will contain eight one-bed houses, 15 two-beds, 26 three-beds and 22 four-plus-bed homes, as well as an area of public open space and a children’s play area in the bottom corner.

329 homes, Dallington Grange, Northampton

At a committee meeting later in April, WNC gave its permission to commence the first phase of a 3,000-home project to the north-west of Northampton, which received outline approval for a master plan in early 2021 under Northampton Borough Council. The application was a collaboration between Persimmon Homes and David Wilson Homes. Councillors expressed concerns over existing schooling capacity, as building the new secondary school would only be triggered once 300 houses were moved into. Ultimately the plans were approved.

May

220 homes, Rothwell

North Northamptonshire Council extended its approval to a 220-home project between Rothwell and the A6 main road, submitted by Persimmon Homes. Members were concerned with increased traffic on the A14 to enter Rothwell, but decided to approve the scheme in line with officer recommendations. The proposals were an outline application so more details about what the development will look like need to be approved before construction can take place.

227 homes, Overstone Leys

After granting permission to a batch of homes earlier in the year, West Northants Council again agreed to plans submitted by David Wilson Homes to build a further 227 three to five-bed houses in Overstone Leys. As part of this package, 3,150sqm of public open space will be delivered for playing fields and open green infrastructure. The site holds only three affordable homes, however the agreed 15 per cent of affordable houses will be made up in other zones of the project.

August

170 apartments, Northampton

In August, two applications came before West Northamptonshire councillors to approve 170 flats on a brownfield site in Bridge Street, in the town centre. Plans to build two six-story apartment blocks were given the go-ahead, with each building containing 104 and 66 flats respectively. A total of 74 underground parking spaces will be available to tenants in a variety of one, two and three-bedroom properties.

September

300 homes, Higham Ferrers

A planning application submitted to North Northants in September saw councillors say yes to 300 homes being built to the west of the town, in between the Ferrers School and the A6 road. Outline permission for the homes was granted in 2020, and the proposals gave a more detailed picture of the new estate. Properties will range from one to four-bedrooms, including a number of flats and bungalows, and 91 homes (30 per cent) will be affordable.

October

68 homes, Malabar Farm, Daventry

Housing developers Spitfire Homes have made the list again, as they were given the green-light to enter their second phase of development in Daventry and build a further 68 homes. The residential extension will comprise a mixture of one to four-bedroom homes, as well as 27 affordable units in the neighbourhood. Homes will include features such as solar panels, smart heating systems and EV charging points as standard.

450 homes, Rushden

Plans to build 450 homes and a community facility in Rushden have been signed off by NNC, as an application submitted by Bellway Homes Limited received outline planning permission. The 23-hectare site lies to the east of the A6 roundabout and will provide 30 per cent affordable housing, as well as a community hub. The final layout hasn’t yet been determined and details will be considered at a later date.

76 homes, Northdale Park, Raunds

In the same month, NNC also approved a new 76-bed care home in Raunds, for people who require assisted living care aged 65 and above. The new complex will feature medical and amenity facilities for residents and a two-storey apartment block on site for staff. Northdale Park was granted outline permission in 2011 for building homes, care facilities, business storage and distribution, and public open spaces. The care home is part of the sustainable urban extension of the market town.

November

97 homes, Bective Works, Northampton

In November, developers Jardine Homes Ltd received permission from West Northants Council to build 97 homes at the site of a historic Northampton shoe factory- the old Bective Works. The current site has been described as an ‘eyesore’ by councillors after a series of fires and disuse has left the buildings derelict. Part of the site will be demolished to make way for a lineup of 21 terraced houses, 65 flats in a contemporary apartment block, and 11 apartments and townhouses in the converted Grade II building.

273 homes, Dallington Grange, Northampton

Another Northampton-based application for a further 273 homes was submitted to the council in the same month. The estate contains a variety of two to five-bed houses, but only 16 homes will be affordable- roughly six per cent of the total plans. Councillors were appalled as this was well below their 30 per cent affordable housing policy, but realised the previous borough council had agreed to lower to rate to just ten per cent affordable. Plans for a neighbourhood of 100 affordable homes will be submitted to the council at a later date to make up for shortfalls in previous applications.

December

121 homes, Little Stanion

Near the end of 2023, a planning application for Little Stanion went to North Northamptonshire Council for the third and final time, after it was deferred twice in previous hearings. The Corby development has been under construction for over a decade and will see the final phase of houses and village hall go ahead after councillors agreed to waive the £2m ‘roof tax’ payment owed by the applicant, JME Developments. They threatened to mothball the site if the extra payments weren’t removed by the end of the year as the project would be “financially unviable”. The final phase of housing will be made up of 99 homes and 22 flats as well as the long-awaited village hall.

52 homes, Daventry

The final major development of the year was approved by West Northamptonshire Council for a housing estate in Daventry. Out-of-use warehouses and office buildings at Arnex House, London Road, will be demolished to make way for the 52 homes. Developers, Jessup Partnerships, have incorporated a mix of one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom homes, as well as affordable housing in the estate.