Thank you for visiting this consultation website
Richborough is undertaking pre-application consultation on plans for a residential development, with public open space and a children’s recreation play area on Land off Northampton Road in Earls Barton. Vehicle access is proposed from Northampton Road, with pedestrian and cycle access to the wider area.
We value local knowledge and welcome your input. Please take your time to review these proposals and to fill in the feedback section.
Our proposals include:
- A residential development of up to 250 new homes;
- A variety of house-types to reflect the Council’s housing requirement mix;
- 40% of the new homes provided as affordable housing;
- Vehicle access from Northampton Road;
- Pedestrian and cycle links;
- Areas of public open space and walking and cycling routes through the site;
- Children’s recreation play area;
- Sustainable Drainage Systems with opportunities for wildlife;
- Infrastructure to support electric vehicle charging, with all new buildings provided with an EV point;
- Financial contributions where these are needed to support local infrastructure.
Planning Context
The government introduced new mandatory housing targets in December last year to address the national housing crisis and deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. Most councils across the country have seen a significant increase in the need for more homes and North Northamptonshire has a significant need for more homes in the coming years.
Government planning policy expects local planning authorities to have up to date Local Plans to address housing needs and deliver other economic, social and environmental priorities. The Local Plan relevant to this site is out-of-date and in need of review. There is also a need to boost the housing land supply, particularly over the next five years to meet minimum housing land supply requirements.
Site Location
The site extends to around 11 hectares of land. It adjoins the southern edge of Earls Barton is located to the east of the Northampton Road on the approach to the village from the A45.
The land currently comprises three fields separated by field boundary hedgerows and some trees. To the north is the rear of existing residential properties which front to Sunnyside. To the east the site adjoins a further field, beyond which is again the edge of Earls Barton with the rear of properties fronting Station Road as well as properties off Compton Way.
To the west the site has a long frontage to Northampton Road, with the site set behind the road front hedgerow. The site extends to the north-west to connect to Aggate Way. To the south, the site adjoins the wider open countryside, with a public footpath running across the immediately adjoining field and the A45 being a short distance further to the south.
The land comprises mainly agricultural land and slopes generally down from the north. It contains some farm buildings in the north-west corner where the site connects to Aggate Way.
About the Proposals
The plans are for up to 250 new homes, new areas of public open space, children’s recreation play space and landscaping. A new vehicle access to the site will be provided from Northampton Road.
The proposals will deliver a high-quality, sustainable development including a mix of family housing and starter homes, together with 40% of the new homes provided as affordable homes for local people.
Walking and cycling routes will be created both within the site and to the wider area, reducing dependence on the car.
The proposals will retain as many of the existing hedgerows and trees as possible. New areas for surface water drainage are included, which will manage runoff from the development and provide opportunities for attractive green infrastructure delivering benefits for nature.
Financial contributions to the Local Authority will be made to support local infrastructure, such as new school places, healthcare and sport and recreation provision.
Whilst the site is not allocated for development, it is in a sustainable location to accommodate new housing. At a time of significant needs for more housing, including affordable housing, the benefits the development will bring for those in housing need will be significant and the proposals are being brought forward to minimise development impacts. This means the scheme will provide extensive landscaping, new green spaces, protect ecology and ensure the development can be safely accessed, with pedestrian and cycle routes promoting non car access to the site and local facilities.
Next steps
An outline planning application is expected to be submitted during Summer 2025 after comments from this consultation have been considered. Following the submission of the planning application, North Northamptonshire Council will undertake a period of statutory consultation on the application. At that stage you will have the opportunity to submit your comments on the application to the Council before a decision is made. It is expected that the application will be determined later in 2025.
Feedback
Thank you for reviewing these proposals. Your feedback is important to us and forms part of the public consultation process.
Please let us know if you have any comments on the proposals, including, for example, on the proposed layout, vehicle and pedestrian/cycle access, local housing needs and community infrastructure.
Your details will not be passed to any third-party organisations and will only be used internally by Engage Planning Ltd and Richborough, for the purposes of understanding your views on the proposals. Comments made on this form may be used to provide an example of the feedback received, although not attributed, as part of the report of this consultation and the Statement of Community Engagement. For the full privacy statement please see www.engageplanning.co.uk
Engage Planning Ltd, Warwick Innovation Centre, Warwick Technology Park, Warwick CV34 6UW
Please provide feedback by completing the form below by 30 June 2025.
Providing contact details is optional.
About Richborough
Richborough was founded in 2003 and is one of the UK’s most successful specialist land promotion businesses. Richborough supplies the commercial and housebuilding industries with consented land to accelerate the delivery of new homes and jobs.
Working in partnership with private and public sector landowners, estates, charities, trusts, dioceses and local stakeholders, Richborough promotes land via the planning system for residential, commercial and mixed-use development.
Focusing heavily on placemaking, local communities and how development can complement and enhance existing infrastructure, the Richborough land promotion model incentivises all parties to ensure that new homes and jobs will be delivered at the earliest opportunity.
Further Information
Please contact:
Engage Planning Ltd
Warwick Innovation Centre
Warwick Technology Park
Warwick CV34 6UW
T: 01926 623095
E: info@engageplanning.co.uk
