Record public response to council housing plan

A record number of people have responded to a council's draft local plan, which sets out where thousands of homes, businesses and roads will likely be built over the next 17 years.

West Northamptonshire Council's latest consultation on the planning document took place over three months between January and March and saw 6,184 respondents.

A report updating members on the responses will go to the council's planning policy committee on Tuesday.

The results of the consultation will be considered to help form the next stage of the plan, before it goes to the government for final approval.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the draft outlines plans for up to 47,300 new homes to be built across Northampton, Daventry, Brackley, Towcester and surrounding villages up to 2043.

It also includes policies on protecting the environment and supporting the local economy.

The record-breaking number of responses for a West Northamptonshire local plan consultation trumps the 712 received in the last one during spring 2024.

That previous draft was not taken forward any further due to the government's changes to national planning policy and housing targets.

The report going to councillors also revealed that 3,638 additional responses were received about the idea of allocating 100 homes at Harlestone Firs - all of which were delivered by hand by the parish council.

Other controversial suggestions that received a higher number of objections - and have in the past been the subject of public outrage and local campaigns - include the proposal of up to 300 homes at Collingtree Park Golf Club, 1,000 homes in Long Buckby, and up to 1,000 homes on land to the north of Newport Pagnell Road in Northampton.

Thomas Manning, the Reform UK cabinet member for planning, previously said the feedback would "help us ensure that future growth is well-planned, sustainable, and reflects what matters most to local people".

An opportunity to make representations on the next version of the plan will be available in the autumn.

The council is expected to submit a final version of the plan to government by December.

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