The masterplan for the future growth of Daventry and the district has been backed by a Government inspector.
The West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy sets out the vision and objectives for Daventry district, Northampton borough and South Northamptonshire up to 2029.
The councils worked together through the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit to draw up the plan.
It identifies areas for housing, employment, industry and leisure facilities.
In Daventry the key area identified is the ‘Churchfields’ along the B4026 from Daventry towards the Long Buckby Wharf crossroads on the A5.
The plan states the site is capable of providing up to 4,000 homes in a ‘sustainable urban extension’ (SUE), although only 2,000 are likely to be built by the late 2020s.
The inspector’s report says the work done ‘clearly demonstrates that the most sustainable option for a new SUE to Daventry in the plan period is to the north east of the town, on a site known as Church Fields’.
It goes on to say: “In principle, this site should be capable of delivering the new housing, facilities and services, including a new secondary and two primary schools, needed to fulfil the strategy for Daventry over the plan period, without the need for any additions or alternatives to be identified.”
The report also mentions the expansion of DIRFT will create thousands of new jobs and highlights the need for the Daventry Development Link road (known as the Flore/Weedon Bypass) which is due to be built next year.
Cllr Rebecca Breese, chairman of the West Northamptonshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee, said: “This Joint Core Strategy continues to be of vital importance for the West Northamptonshire area, which urgently needs an up-to-date planning framework. The core strategy will provide a robust plan to direct future development needed by local people, to sustainable locations, together with securing regeneration and inward investment into our urban areas. It will also serve to protect the whole area from inappropriate development proposals.
“I am pleased we are publishing the long-awaited inspector’s report and I look forward to the consideration of it by the West Northamptonshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee in the near future.”
For several years now Daventry district has been without an officially tested and adopted strategic plan. With nothing that set out plans to deliver a five-year land supply for new homes, the district council found itself facing a series of applications for homes but had no evidence plan to judge them against. The hope is, once adopted, this masterplan will put a stop to those applications.