Plan for 140 homes on farm with closed-down B&B outside Daventry recommended for approval

A plan to build 140 new homes on a farm on the outskirts of Daventry has been recommended for approval by a council officer.

Bellway Homes wants to develop the 4.5-hectare triangle of land occupied by Drayton Lodge Farm between the A425, the A45 Steffen Way and the old Staverton Road.

The site is allocated for housing as part of the already-approved Daventry SW sustainable urban extension, consisting of 1,100 properties in total.

But Daventry Town Council and Staverton Parish Council oppose the scheme despite three revisions over the lack of off-road parking spaces and the design of the play area.

West Northamptonshire Council's planning officer believes the proposal would result in sustainable development ahead of a Daventry area planning committee meeting on Wednesday (June 8), where the decision will be made.

"It will deliver a balanced and sustainable development of 140 new homes and community infrastructure in an attractive, well-designed, landscaped and pleasant environment," they wrote in a report.

"The proposed arrangements for accessing the development will enable it to be safely and conveniently accessed by car and public transport without significant adverse impacts on the existing highway network.

"The scheme will promote sustainable transport within and beyond this site. The application will protect and enhance the site’s biodiversity and historic heritage.

"The scheme will not cause flooding. Nor will it have any other significant adverse environmental impact that would warrant the refusal of planning permission.

"The scheme will, of course, extend into open countryside, taking up agricultural land and will change the appearance of the existing countryside.

"On balance, however, that change is justified by the positive contribution that the scheme will make."

Drayton Lodge Farm comprises of a bed and breakfast, holiday cottages, agricultural buildings and agricultural land but the hospitality areas have not been used since July, 2019.

It would all be demolished to make room for the homes, a quarter of which would be either affordable rented, social rented or shared ownership, with a mix of two, three, four and five bedrooms.

Access would be from the A425 with a pedestrian and cycle path, a bus layby and a pedestrian crossing over the road to link the development to the adjacent sports ground.