Plans for 450 new houses to be built in Rushden

Outline plans to build 450 homes on the edge of Rushden have been submitted.

Bellway Homes Limited wants to build up to 450 dwellings on part of two arable fields on land to the east of the A6.

The outline planning application also includes a community/retail/and or health facility, improvement works to the existing A6/Bedford Road roundabout including provision of shared pedestrian/cycle access, parking and open space.

If approved, developers say the scheme would include 135 (30 per cent) affordable homes.

The application’s planning statement says: “The site is a proposed allocation for around 450 dwellings in the Draft Part 2 Local Plan and is a sustainable location for development, being well related to the Rushden built up area and future development to the north within the Rushden East SUE (sustainable urban extension).

"The site is not designated for its environmental value and has few features of interest.

"The site is well contained within the wider landscape and relates well to the settlement of Rushden.”

It says the proposed development will contain a mix of two and 2.5-storey dwellings, and a limited number of three-storey dwellings.

And it continues: “The development will create an attractive residential suburb with areas of open space and landscaping.”

As a consultee, Northamptonshire Clinical Commissioning Group has commented on the plans.

It says: "Practices in the local area are already at the limit of their capacity and the increase in population could push practices to the point that they are no longer able to accept new patients.

"If this were to be the case it could result in the population brought to the area by the new housing development experiencing difficulties accessing primary care health services.

"Therefore the CCG and NHSE & I are seeking a financial contribution towards infrastructure support to ensure the new population has access to good quality primary health care services.”

Planning permission for the layout, scale and appearance of the development will not be sought as part of the current application, and will be addressed as part of detailed design and within future reserved matters submissions.

For more details search for NE/22/00851/OUT on the planning section of North Northants Council’s website.