I have just seen in the Banbury Guardian that K B Benfield Group Holdings Ltd are to appeal over the 131 homes on Main Road so we may well be in for another fight.

We now have confirmation that Application No S/2009/1169/MAO - Residential development for 131 dwellings with estate road and open space (Outline) at land off Main Road Middleton Cheney, is scheduled to be considered by SNC’s Development Control Committee at their meeting on 18^thFebruary 2010. The Parish Council will be sending a representative.

Application No S/2009/1277/OUT - Residential development of 19 dwellings at 2A, 4 and 6 Main Road Middleton Cheney, will also be considered at the meeting on 11th March.

At the recent Parish Council Meeting of the 21^st December the Parish Council unanimously voted to reject the current plans for 131 Houses at Main Road. Please find below the Councils response to the planning application sent to South Northants on the 8^th January 2010. Click here to download a copy.

As some of you will know concerned residents commissioned a report on the planning application and have kindly allowed the website to post the findings. Click here to download a copy

 Please don’t forget to get your objection letter in before preferably by the 11th January for a template copy please click here

A Recent 2008 / 2009 Housing survey needs of Middleton Cheney identified a high need for affordable housing and a number of sites where identified and discounted including the Main Road site, named under the review as “Junction of A422 and Main Road”. I quote from the Survey update earlier this year 2009.

“ This is another  large “exception” site which might accommodate most of the need. However planning feel that a development here would see a ‘….significant extension to this prominent corner location that would be of detriment to this sensitive edge’. The site is also in the ‘Special Landscape Area’. So like C Thenford Road south side could only be considered if all other options have been discounted.

What has changed since the survey?   Must we capitulate to new legislation which forces dense housing developments on a sensitive site at the gateway to the village?    Brian Goodey (Professor Emeritus of Urban Design recently commented on the Middleton Cheney website that…the scheme ‘turns its back’ on the A422, fails to announce the village on the Main Road entrance, and offers a disturbing sea of parking around an isolated block at the junction opposite the Washle. None of these features is appropriate to a South Northamptonshire village environment. There is little here visually to suggest that residents would welcome the new development, nor that new residents would feel part of the village.

My objection is not to the building of housing but the nature design and impact on this sensitive site on the entrance to a Northamptonshire village. The inclusion of affordable housing is a government requirement but in this instance the inclusion of sheltered accommodation in the form of an incongruous apartment building style does not in any way blend sensitively with the village.

The scheme must be drastically altered to take into consideration South Northants Housing Needs Survey and the possible redevelopment of the Midway Garages, plus any building approved since April 2009, The Interim Plan conveniently disregards any building outside of the village confines and if South Northants target of 150 houses is met, the village could still find itself under siege from developers as the 131 house would not be taken into consideration. This could mean the 19 houses proposed for further down Main Road could also benefit from this development.

Have we exhausted all other options?   I feel not.   Midway Garage is still an option.   A suitable scheme has already been drawn up which improves the area replacing lower grade housing and poorly designed garage blocks which are rarely used for cars even in the 1970s.   This is an opportunity to right the wrongs of poor planning policy which in this instance is only possible as the site is managed. We will never have the opportunity to change a wrong decision at Main Road we must get it right despite the current legislation.

We have one chance to influence the future of our Village for generations to come and I appeal to South Northants not to use delegated powers to rush this development through and to give due consideration to this sensitive area of Middleton Cheney.  We only have one opportunity to get this development right. Planning is a delicate balancing act and this application should be heard in full at Towcester when I’m sure a representative of the Village will speak in full to express local opinion.

Paul Browne.

Notice is hereby given that there will be a planning meeting of the Parish Council on Monday 21^st December 2009 at 7.15pm to consider the following business.  The Press and Public are cordially invited.  This meeting will be followed by a closed finance meeting. Link to agenda

With reference to the proposed development on the land off Main Road opposite the Washle, the Parish Council is holding an informal meeting for residents and councillors on Wednesday 16^th December 2009 from 7.30pm to 9.00pm in the Parish Meeting Rooms.

The purpose of this meeting is to find out exactly how residents feel this proposed development would impact life in Middleton.  To be able to properly understand and present your views we have a short questionnaire which we would like you to fill in and send to the Parish Meeting Rooms by Wednesday if you are unable to attend the meeting in person. You can download a copy click here or fill in the online version here

Planning Aid

Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional advice and support on planning issues to people and communities who cannot afford to hire a planning consultant. Planning Aid complements the work of local authorities but is wholly independent of them. In most UK regions Planning Aid is run by the Royal Town Planning Institute (registered charity no. 262865).

• Planning Aid Website  

Update on Dec 12, 2009 at 1:00 PM by Website

Further information you may useful for reference.

Interim Rural Housing Planning Policy Adopted July 2009

Used as part of the Main Road Planning Application as supporting evidence.

Planning Application for Main Road

Plan of Main Road

Interim Rural Housing Planning Policy

This document lays out the five year housing stock targets and identifies substainable villages such as Middleton Cheney. Also contains facts and figues such as present number of houses residents and facilities.

A couple of years ago the whole village was asked to fill in a housing survey by South Northants Council to see how many families need housing in their own village.  We were found to have a considerable housing need within the village and because of a government requirement for a 5 year housing land supply, the District Council has adopted an Interim Rural Housing Policy, which indicates that it will give favourable consideration to developments in settlements that are judged to be “most” or “reasonably” sustainable, subject to various criteria.

Middleton Cheney falls into the category of a “most sustainable” settlement.  This means that we have to find place for at least 150 houses in the village.

In August the Parish Council was approached by Wilbraham Associates Ltd on behalf of their client K.B. Benfield Group Holdings Ltd., to discuss the proposed development on land off Main Road.  A representative from Wilbraham Associates and Mr. Clive Benfield  came to the Parish Council meeting in September (minutes available on the website) to explain their proposed plans and ask for the Council’s initial feedback before submitting their proposals to the South Northants Council.

We had a very good meeting with a lot of discuss going both ways.  As our meetings are open to the public, rumours have started going round the village and our last council meeting on Monday 5^th October (minutes on the website) was well attended by residents of Main Road and the Washle.  Although no official planning application has been put forward, the proposals seem to be well-known (if inaccurate) around the village and The Parish Council believes it would benefit all interested parties if we acted open and above board.

Although no-one in the village seems to want any development, the Parish Council understands that it may be very difficult to prevent this happening in view of the prevailing planning policy context and feels that by working with the developer, the District Council and the public, we can come up with a plan that will suit all parties concerned.

We have been asked by the developer and South Northants to find out what amenities would benefit the community not only on the new development but as a whole.  The District Council has suggested areas of public open space with the possibility of a new children’s play area, but is keen to find out what other local infrastructure may be needed to offset the impact of any new development e.g. new/improved community and sport/leisure facilities to cope with a larger population. 

The Parish Council is most concerned about traffic in that area and would suggest a pelican crossing on the Main Road between the bus stops.  Proper bus shelters were suggested and the possibility of some sort of traffic calming restrictions at the junction of the by-pass and Main Road.

We have also asked that proper surveys be done on the water, sewerage and other amenities and understand that a traffic survey has already been conducted.

I would emphasis that the Parish Councillors have not capitulated as has been suggested.  We are anxious to work with the developers to get the best deal for the village and would like to make it clear that this does not mean that it will automatically receive our support when an application is finally made.    On the same front the Pre-School Development Committee have not ’sold out’ or pledged their allegiance to the developers.  The case is rather that of the developers being impressed with what they are trying to achieve and suggesting that they might be able to help with some financial support.  It would be inconceivable if the Pre-school development committee did not explore all avenues and lobby all help available.  They need your support not unfair rumours.

John Rakestraw, Chairman of the Parish Council has suggested that when the plans are drawn up, we will call full public meeting, in the village hall, so that everyone can come and see the plans, meet the developer and make their comments.

Your comments either on the web (you don't need to leave your name - just post under anon) or directly by email to the Parish Council clerk@middletoncheney.org.uk or by snail mail and they will be taken into account. 

Update on Oct 23, 2009 at 4:50 PM by Website

The following comment is from Wilbraham Associates who are the agents for developer.

Just one point of clarification, the housing needs survey conducted by the Council was to ascertain the number of ‘affordable’ dwellings likely to be needed in the village in the next few years. The Interim Housing policy has arisen because the Council have not released sufficient land to meet their house building targets in recent years. However as part of any development coming forward under the Interim policy 40% will need to be in the ‘affordable’ category and therefore the affordable housing need identified in the earlier survey should be largely met by the new development.

Your chance to have a say on the proposed development at Main Road Middleton Cheney.