THE SITE

Q. Why does Ensign want to build here?

A. Ensign has maintained an interest in the land for some considerable time. Ensign believes that development at Buckton Fields site is necessary to support the sustainable growth of Northampton and the regeneration needed in the town. Buckton Fields is an ideal area for development as an urban extension of Northampton and this is already recognised in its allocation in the Daventry Local Plan.

S. The question is actually missing the word 'Now'. So, Why does Ensign want to build here now?
The reason for this is that they are running out of time, in order to reap the benefits of their court action brought last year against the Secretary of State they have to get their planning application in before September 2007, when the old style Daventry Local Plan expires. More details of this in the History section of this site.

Yes, Ensign are interested in this site, they have invested time and money in the past to try and build here, and are not happy at the prospect of not recouping their expenditure or having their previous plans rejected. The argument about Northampton needing Buckton Fields as a housing development is pure fantasy, the fact is they are creating the need so that they can profit. Again I refer to the history section which quantifies these statements.

Their statement misleads the reader into believing that DDC look as if they have already agreed to this development, failing to explain that DDC dropped Buckton Fields as a 'recognised area for urban extension' after the government changed its guidance to councils on the use of Greenfield sites in 2001, hence the fact they lost their previous planning request.

Yes Northampton has been identified as key to the provision of new housing for the MKEM area, but areas have been clearly defined as UDA's controlled by the WNDC and Buckton Fields do not fall into any of these areas.

Notice that in the very first Q&A Ensign have manage to squeeze in a 'sustainable'. As the situation stands Buckton Fields certainly are not 'sustainable' nor even an 'ideal area for development'. As the development will initially have no centre, no doctor, no dentist or schools then evidently its new inhabitants will require the use of those facilities that already exist in the surrounding areas.

As current inhabitants of this area we all know the existing road links are already overloaded, a topic covered below in the transport section, and we also know how difficult it is in Northampton to find a Dentist, Doctors surgeries are close to breaking point, not to mention the local Hospital.

Q. What is the area of land being proposed for development?

A. This development would cover approximately 50 hectares. Bordered to the west by the A5199 and to the east by the A508, Buckton Fields is located 4.5km from Northampton town centre, immediately to the north of the existing residential district of White Hills, which lies within the boundary of Northampton Borough Council. The Buckton Fields site itself lies within the boundary of Daventry District, therefore the final planning application will be submitted to Daventry District Council.

S. No mention here of the fact that this is a 'Greenfield' site, and most of this area is being used to farm organic produce by the popular Smith's Farm and then their produce marketed directly to the local public. The other section of land to the east is highly prized by the local population for recreational purposes.

Q. Why should this site be considered?

A. The site is allocated for housing in the Daventry Local Plan and is in a sustainable location as an urban extension to Northampton needed to support the economic growth of the town.

S. Again this rather short statement belies the facts. Referring to my comments to the first question:-

Buckton Fields are only identified as part of the DDC local plan due to Ensign's recent court action against the First Secretary of State. They do not mention that Buckton Fields was dropped from the DLP but was forcibly added back on due to their legal action (sour grapes). It only remains a possible area for development until September 2007 when the Local Plans cease to exist in favour of the new Local Development Frameworks.

How can this development be classed as sustainable? That's right, they've set aside a small section of land on the site for development of an 'employment' zone, and all of the needs of this new community will be satisfied by the inclusion of an area set aside for the council to build another primary school and a doctors surgery etc., although this won't happen until phase three, so what happens to up until then? Also these facilities will not be financed by the developers, these will need to be built by the relevant Council, i.e. your taxes.

Surely Northampton's required growth plans are well satisfied by the developments to the West of Northampton at Upton Grange and Dallington heath etc., whose developments dwarf this number of homes? Northampton needs to provide 7,250 by 2011.

HOUSING

Q. How many homes are to be built on the proposed development?

A. Approximately 1,500 homes are planned for this site.

S. Note the term 'homes', this doesn't relate to the number of buildings. Incidentally in the previous Ensign bid to get planning permission from DDC, the council stipulated that there should be no more than 1,000 houses on this site. Would this ruling still apply one wonders, God forbid their request ever gets that far?

Q. What type(s) of homes will be built?

A. The new development would meet the needs and aspirations of the local community in providing a wide range of accommodation types which would include two, three and four bedroom quality homes built to the highest industry standards, including the provision of much needed affordable housing.

S. When did they ask what the local community's 'aspirations' were? If someone was actually contacted by Ensign to find out what the local sentiment was then we would like to hear from you. For sure all the people I have spoken to have never mentioned such an approach, and certainly I don't think they would have elected for this development. I appreciate that there is a shortage in the UK for 'affordable' homes and they have to be built somewhere, but no-one really wants to have problem estates dumped on their back yard. A majority of the images (if not all on the brochure) depicted building up to three stories high. This would add insult to injury to those residents who currently have paid premium prices for views over fields or invested in developing their properties only to have their prime asset defaced by these carbuncles.

Q. What provision will there be for affordable housing?

A. Ensign will make provisions for affordable housing as part of the development. The exact figure and mix of tenures will be determined in discussions with Daventry District Council and Northampton Borough Council.

S. Surely if they are submitting plans to the Daventry District Council in the coming weeks then they must already have the mix and numbers they intend to build already?

TRANSPORT

Q. Will this development create an increase in traffic during the construction of Buckton Fields? What plans are in place to limit congestion during construction (site traffic)?

A. While development work is in progress, every effort will be made to ensure that disruption to local residents is kept to the very minimum possible. At Buckton Fields, we would work with Daventry District Council to ensure reasonable hours of work to minimise any impacts of construction traffic, especially at peak times. Modern methods of construction and effective planning will help to reduce the levels of construction traffic.

S. All development causes disruption, especially if they intend placing the entrance of phase one right opposite Boughton tip, with disruption while they build their proposed roundabout. There will also be unsightly mounds of earth and untold quantities of dust which will penetrate into peoples homes. In addition to this the roads will be covered in dirt from construction vehicles, which will be thrown up into the air or turn to mud.

Q. Once Buckton Fields is complete what steps will be taken to limit congestion on the local roads?

A. Ensign will carry out a comprehensive Transport Assessment, which will look at the accessibility and sustainability of the site, the traffic flows generated and the impact on the surrounding roads and junctions. A comprehensive transport strategy will be put in place to minimise the level of traffic generated by the development. Some minor road improvements are also likely to be needed.

S. For those of us visiting the 'exhibition' on 11th & 12 May we all know what their ideas for 'comprehensive traffic strategy' are; a bus lane on the Welford road (how and where we all asked) and a new Park & Ride scheme. Apparently all those Buckton Fielders who aren't satisfied with working and shopping on their new estate will be taking the bus!

According to the NCC Local Transport Plan 2006-11 the Kingsthorpe area is home to some of the worst junctions in the county; using figures from the same report we estimate that if this development is allowed to go forward we will see an increase in traffic to the area of around 5.5%. For the Harborough Road this could mean an extra 1,000 vehicles a day from this development alone, if you add in the 185 new 'homes' being build on the Bective site this rises further still, and on the Welford road extra traffic from the 255 houses proposed on the old KMC site.

For the Village of Boughton they offered finance to generate traffic calming measures, which has seen very limited success elsewhere in the town. There seems to be no mention of such assistance for Chapel and Church Brampton, who currently see a daily traffic flow of almost 12,000 cars a day according to a traffic survey commisioned by the Parish, an increase of 7% from a similar survey conducted last year; the research also identified that approximately 74% of traffic exceeded the speed limit.

They also seem to forget that their new 'employment zone' will also add further traffic. Businesses require staff and not all of this requirement will be satisfied from within the new development. No mention either of the requirements of these businesses for deliveries both to and from the site, again adding extra vehicles to the local infrastructure.

Q. Will anything be done to improve public transport? How will any increases in traffic be handled?

A. Ensign is committed to ensuring its development is fully sustainable. As part of the development, a new Park & Ride facility will be built to offer enhanced public transport services to and from the town centre. In addition to this, it is envisaged that new bus services will also be provided, connecting the site with key employment, retail, education and leisure locations.

S. Yeah right. Park and Ride. Answers all the problems, including a nice caravan park for the travellers. They also spoke of subsidising a bus route for a few years, but what happens after that time? Yup, carmageddon. From 1,500 homes, again using NCC data for Northampton, we can deduce that there will be roughly 1,682 vehicles. According to traffic analysts you can predict the number of journeys from an estate by simply multiplying the number of homes by 7; this would mean an extra 10,500 vehicle journeys on local roads each day.

Q. Are there plans for new bus lanes and cycle paths?

A. The provision of footpaths and cycle ways would be developed as part of the transport infrastructure. The development will also contribute to improved bus infrastructure, which could include bus lanes. Full details will be agreed with the County Council. These will help secure a sustainable development that is not over-reliant on the car.

S. When quizzed about the practicalities of doing the family weekly shop on a bus or bicycle, Ensign's representatives at their exhibition suggested that people should use internet shopping instead. Is it just me, or are these people completely unrealistic? Do they live in the real world?

POLITICAL

Q. What does Daventry District Council think of your proposal?

A. The site is included in the Daventry Local Plan and the District Council is being fully consulted in the planning process. Discussions are taking place with planning officers and councillors to help determine the best outcome for a sustainable development. Once we have submitted our application the council will be able to comment further.

S. Again another reference to DDC's apparent approval of this plan. What must be stated, this is still subject to planning approval through DDC. It is evident to people who live in the area that this is by no means a suitable site to be termed as sustainable due to the current state of the roads. What we need to ensure is that the planning process is fair and open and that all factors are correctly measured and taken into consideration.

Q. What does Northampton Borough Council think of your proposal?

A. Ensign is consulting with Northampton Borough Council to ensure that the local community, planning officers and elected members are fully aware of its plans for Buckton Fields. Northampton Borough Council recognises that large-scale developments, such as Buckton Fields, are an important part of achieving Northampton’s goals for sustainable growth. Once we have submitted our application it will be able to comment further.

S. I think that having two of the Boughton Green Liberal Democrat councillors at our inaugural public meeting both very outspoken about their dissaproval of this proposal just shows that the developers are very out of touch with the fellings of both the public and political opinions here, plus since they published their brochure there's a different party in control. In addition the incumbant Labour MP for Northampton North, Sally Keeble, has conducted her own survey of local residents and published her findings, which can be viewed here. She has subsequently written to both the Daventry District Council and the developers identifying her constituents views and that she was not in support of the scheme. This is why it is important to make your voices heard, join one of the residents groups and sign petitions, let them know how you feel.

Q. Will the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) be determining your application?

A. No, the proposed site for the development of Buckton Fields falls outside the remit of the WNDC.

S. This, thankfully, is true.

THE DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Q. How are the needs of existing residents being considered?

A. We recognise the implications of delivering the right infrastructure for the local community and the need for a high quality, sustainable development. Ensign is undertaking an extensive consultation process to ensure it fully understands the housing and socio-economic needs of the local communities in Northampton and Daventry.

S. Another statement that is highly dubious. On 21st March the Ensign group sent some representatives to speak at a Northampton Borough Council meeting at the Welford Road campus for KCC. During this meeting we were advised that the Public Exhibition would be held over two whole days, and that there would be extensive leaflet drops in the entire area to make the population aware of the event. The resulting exhibition lasted a total of seven hours over a Friday evening and Saturday morning and the leaflet drop was a thoroughly restricted affair. When questioned about the publicity for the event and lack of leaflets they blamed the sub-contractor they had hired for not fulfilling their obligation. So much for an extensive consultation process!

This just shows us what contempt these people have for the existing population living here. If they can't even keep their word on these activities how can they be trusted on everything else they say?

Q. What steps are being taken to ensure the local community is kept informed of development plans for Buckton Fields?

A. A wide-ranging consultation process is underway and will include meetings, a public exhibition, media outreach and a website as well as ensuring the elected representatives for the area are kept fully informed. We consider the consultation process to be integral in creating the right development at Buckton Fields, helping to meet the needs of a fast growing Northampton.

S. Okay, we've had the exhibition, I monitor the website daily, and the last 'News' posting was a press release from April 25th with the usual propaganda dialogue alongside a picture of a bus in Crawley and a four story high block of flats. So where is this promised wide ranging consultation and the regular news updates?

Q. What are the key benefits of Ensign's proposal for Buckton Fields?

A. Buckton Fields would help meet the identified housing targets for Northampton, whilst supporting the regeneration and sustainable development of the area. The proposed site is close to the existing local infrastructure and would also mean that more environmentally sensitive sites would be protected.

S. Benefits to whom? For sure there wouldn't be any benefits to those living near the fields, their bank balance more like. As to the identified housing targets, as they have already stipulated Buckton Fields don't fall into Northampton's building requirements they come out of the Daventry area. Daventry are confident that they can fulfil their requirements already so these extra 1,500 homes are not needed. As to being 'sustainable' and being close to existing local infrastructure which they conveniently forget to mention is fairly overloaded already without the addition of these houses. And what a load of twaddle, protecting 'more environmentally sensitive sites', who are they kidding?

Q. Apart from housing, are there any other intended uses for the site, e.g. retail/commercial?

A. Buckton Fields would be a mixed-use development including provision for jobs for the retail and commercial sector which is vital to creating a fully functioning, vibrant community. In addition, if the operators of the existing Farm Shop wish to continue, Ensign is prepared to offer alternative premises within the proposed local centre.

S. Surely they're having a laugh here. The farm shop grows a lot of its produce on the land that they are going to build houses on, and they're willing to offer them a shop within the proposed 'centre' that won't exist for quite a few years. Oh, and just what are they going to sell? As for the employment area, it seems relatively small, just how many jobs will be made available there for the occupants of Buckton Fields? Certainly not many for phase one!

Q. What other social infrastructure will be built to support the new community?

A. As part of the development, there are plans for a primary school, public open space and all necessary community facilities.

S. They seem to have missed the fact that approximately one third of the land is already being used as public space, and that their plans are just that, plans. They are apparently not building the school, merely providing the space for it; that expence will be met by the tax payer, that means us, i.e. not Ensign.

Q. How long will the construction process take and when will it start?

A. If planning permission is granted, subject to receiving the appropriate approval on reserved matters, construction should commence within 12 months of receipt of outline planning permission with first occupants moving in nine months later.

S. This question is not really answerable at this stage, as planning permission will probably include prerequisites. The previous planning application for building on Buckton Fields (Policy HS2) was subject to the arrival of the North West Link Road, in fact it stipulated that no more 150 dwellings could be occupied before stage one of the NWLR was open or provision of an alternative transport infrastructure. Furthermore, no building work could commence until traffic calming measures had been implemented in Boughton, Church Brampton and Chapel Brampton.

Q. How will the development be implemented?

A. The construction of new homes and associated infrastructure will be delivered in three phases. The phased approach will ensure development is supported by the necessary infrastructure.

The key principles, which underpin the phasing strategy, are:

• Minimising the impact of the development on the surrounding area and integrating the new and existing communities effectively
• Ensuring the necessary landscaping is in place at an early stage
• Establishing links to the existing pedestrian and cycleways and providing access points and routes to anticipate the traffic generated by the development
• Ensuring an effective mix of house types and tenures to create a successful community that grows at a sustainable rate

S. If they were so concerned about the impact this will have, surely putting the key infrustructure in place first would be the first thing to do? Improve the local road system first, which should mean the implementation of the North West Link Road. Building the local centre, employment area and school before the houses would surely mean that the new inhabitants would not have to travel by road when they started to live in their new dwellings? This would minimise the impact on the existing centres. Their current phasing approach will mean that the bulk of housing will be built before any of the infrastructure, therefore generating profits early on.

When asked about the landscaping, or rather provision of a buffer zone between the houses of Spring Park bordering the proposed development, the consultants at the exhibition provided little comfort; they implied that there would be no 'no mans land' between the existing estate and the new houses, and that they would basically back straight up to existing gardens and buildings. This is bad news to those people who have paid a premium for housing with views of open fields, some even investing large sums developing their homes around this aspect. This news will certainly not be well received, especially at election time!

As there are only two proposed access points for vehicles on this development, it doesn't take much thought to determine where the traffic will be generated.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Q. Will development at Buckton Fields increase the chance of flooding?

A. The Environment Agency has identified that the Buckton Fields site sits outside the floodplain. Having modelled the effects of extreme rainfall conditions, including the effects of climate change, on the River Nene the Agency has identified that the site is outside the predicted 1 in 1000-year flood level.

S. Yes the site may well be outside of the identified floodplain, but they neglect to mention that the increase in run off generated by this proposed development together with the proposed 3,500 house development of Dallington Grange both drain into the Brampton Branch of the River Nene catchment area. This plus two other branches, the Kislingbury Branch and Wootton Brook all merge in the Nothampton area of St James. Due to the design of the Bridges at Towcester Road and Southbridge the River Nene would be forced to bottle neck and a very real danger of flooding would exist in the St James area, as it did in April 1998. The environment agency's own web site has a published PDF document detailing that the AWS resevoirs in the Brampton Branch can be expected to spill again if a storm of the same magnitude were to strike again, and that's without any new developments.

Furthermore, a well respected expert in river dynamics and former President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Professor George Fleming, critisised the figures used in the report; it states that the peek flow of the Nene would reach 161 cubic metres per second, which is lower than records show for the 1947 flood of Northampton which stood at 170 cubic metres. Given that since then there has been a vast expansion of the town through new developments which would all increase run off into the Nene he believes that the figure should be more like 260 cubic metres per second, meaning their Nene Strategic Model report is based on flawed data.

A. A drainage strategy has been developed for the site to take into account the effect of 1 in 200-year storms and the effects of climate change.

S. A drainage strategy based on geological findings from only one third of the proposed site, and that being the higher ground of the site to the east; thus far the developers have only been granted access to the section of land currently open to the public.

It should also be noted that the 1 in 200 year storm figures referred to in this statement is questionable. There exists no such report for Northampton Borough, which breaches the Water Resources Act of 1991. It requires a section 105(2) survey, commonly referred to as the 1 in 200 year report; only a 1 in 100 year report exists. The report currently in use by developers in Northampton as the 1 in 200 year report was actually created by consultants working for the developers themselves and as such would have their own interests in mind. How can the public have confidence of their safety from flooding if the figures have been prepared by the developers themselves?

A. This includes the creation of three retention ponds to hold surface water run-off and ensure the discharge to the River Nene is no greater than the natural rate of run-off from the existing site. The parameters adopted are as recommended by the Environment Agency.

S. Again we look to Professor Fleming. His models show that the secondary mitigation propossed by Ensign works, but only up to a point. The model used by most developers in their computer modelling is based on a estimated 36% run off from agricultural land, however this was more like 70% in the recent downpoors we experienced at Easter this year. They also rely on 'balancing ponds' or rather 'swales' that are well maintained because they are susceptible to silting up, who will perform this task? Also there exists a real possibility of these swales being full, and what if they iced over; it is not beyond possibility for there to follow subsequent prolonged rainfall that would run straight over the ice and straight into the Brampton catchment area, and swamping the flood defences further downstream.

A Flood Risk Assessment has been undertaken by Ensign, taking account of discussions with the Environment Agency, which conforms to government guidance (PPS25).

This shows that development at Buckton Fields will not increase the risk of flooding in the Northampton area.

S. Need we remind people again of the damage caused by the floods of 1998? Here is BBC news web page where the Counties five MP's are demanding the resignation of the Chairman of the Environment agency due to the departments incompetence. Proof that they can and do get the sums wrong.

Q. Are there any Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) on the site?

A. There is currently a TPO order from 1971 on the south eastern boundary of the site; however on visual inspection no trees in the described area relate to this order. There is a possibility this order is incorrect or alternatively these trees have been removed. In any event we will ensure this southern boundary is safeguarded from the construction and operation of the development.

Q. What is being done to sustain and preserve the site's ecology?

A. The enhancement of existing ecology is inherent to the proposals and has been given full consideration in the development of the masterplan. Existing hedgerows will be retained within the development and will be complemented by additional new scrub and managed grassland habitats in the proposed public open space areas. This will play a vital role in species enhancement and provide opportunities for existing and new species to be incorporated into the development, for example, opportunities for reptiles, foraging bats and birds. Additional measures to encourage bats will also be provided, for example, bat boxes.

Regular management regimes will help to enhance these areas further. The provision of an Ecological Construction Method Statement (ECMS) during the construction phase and a long term Ecological Management Plan (EMP) will both be developed to ensure conservation and maintenance of habitats and species within the site.

S. Alas the wildlife on these fields live across the entire site and not just in hedgerows. We, like many people, walk on the open Eastern section every day, and enjoy the unique makeup of these fields that have been allowed to exist naturally. This has meant that anyone is able to enjoy countryside on the edge of the town, without the restrictions of a park. They are home to many species that you wouldn't necessarily see in a 'managed grassland habitat', with a close proximity to housing, such as birds of prey and many other forms of birdlife attracted by the habitat of the relatively large wild grassland. The proposed 'open space' is a fraction of the size of the existing open fields whose loss would impact many people who come from far and wide to enjoy this site.

Q. Does the site have any archaeological/cultural heritage? If yes, what impact will Buckton Fields have and how will it be preserved?

A. There are no Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 on or adjacent to the site. The Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) note four entries within the site area, however it is very likely that these archaeological deposits have been significantly damaged by a long history of agricultural activity and none are considered to be of national significance. Most surviving deposits investigated on the eastern area of the site are very ephemeral and have low archaeological value. All significant archaeological remains will be fully recorded in advance or during construction and as such there will be no predicted significant adverse residual effects on the buried archaeological resource.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SURROUNDING VILLAGES

Q. Why does this area need more housing?

A. Northampton is a regional growth centre and is to accommodate substantial new housing and employment as part of a strategy for sustainable growth. It is recognised that not all of that growth can be met from within the Borough Council’s own boundary. As part of this growth it is important to maintain the vitality of the local economy, which new developments can bring, as well as delivering the much needed homes for local residents, including provision for affordable housing.

S. Northampton has indeed been identified within the MKEM development area, but the task of planning this development has been given to the WNDC. Buckton Fields falls outside of the Urban Development Areas designated by the corporation, this site is therefore subject to planning permission from the district council and not WNDC; this proposal is not part of the plan, not needed and not wanted.

As one resident pointed out recently, there are a multitude of vacant houses across Northampton, some privately owned and some council houses. Many seem to be boarded up? She even conducted a survey of such dwellings in Northampton and with the help of Liberal Democrat councillor Sally Beardsworth managed to house her daughters family in a vacant council house that the council had 'over-looked'.

Q. Why do you need to build on a greenfield site?

A. The annual monitoring report published by Northampton Borough Council in December 2006 illustrates that the level of housing planned for the Northampton area cannot all be accommodated for on brownfield sites in the town.

Buckton Fields has no special environmental considerations regarding the development of the land and lies directly adjacent to Northampton. As such it is an ideal opportunity for the development of a sustainable urban extension that offers a high standard of accommodation.

S. Driving around Northampton reveals that there are 'brownfield' sites that must surely come into the frame, such as the old St Edmunds hospital site, which seems to have remained a playground for local vandals for years, or the patch of land off of Bunting road in Kingsthorpe Hollow.

What does a field have to do to be considered as a 'special environmental' field? The eastern third of these fields open to the public could surely be considered as special, as it is home to an abundance of wildlife in a naturally occuring habitat, not a field sewn with oil seed rape and sprayed with chemicals several times a year!

Surely if you are going to build on a greenfield site wouldn't it be more desirable to allow some space between the existing and new developments, to act as a buffer. Afterall, if the new development was truely sustainable it should be able to exist on its own anywhere, without existing services? Quite why urban planners in and around Northampton have taken to building new developments right on top of existing estates is baffling. They no longer seem to leave green space to break up the monotany of housing developments, surely this will just make Northampton one great sprawl? Housing on Buckton Fields will have the effect of pushing out the towns boundaries further North, rendering Boughton village as just another suburb of Northampton.

Q. When do you expect to submit an application?

A. We are hoping that an application will be submitted in Spring 2007.

Q. By building Buckton Fields on the proposed site, aren't you passing the problems of Northampton onto rural Daventry?

A. It is vital for the whole area that Northampton is an economically successful, socially vibrant town. Buckton Fields will be an urban extension to Northampton with the related infrastructure required to create a sustainable community. This strategy has already been fully endorsed and is why the site is allocated in the Daventry District Local Plan.

S. This question shows just how out of touch these developers are. The majority of people who live in this area often say that this is an ideal example of how Daventry District Council are dumping their housing quota on Northampton's doorstep, expecting Northampton Borough to foot the bill and the pain for transport etc.

What many people seem to forget is that Daventry District Council, unlike Northampton Borough Council, is a rural council, and as such is not just resposible for the town of Daventry but a large swathe of the countryside surrounding the west of Northampton. It should also be noted that DDC don't need Buckton Fields to satisfy their quota of houses for 2021.

Q. There are other big developments in the area, why do we need another one?

A. The site is allocated in the Daventry District Local plan. The sub-regional policy framework refers to the development arising in the wider Northampton area. The level of growth for Northampton is significant and a number of urban extensions will be required in addition to brownfield sites in the town.

S. Here we go again with the whole Daventry Local Plan thing. As already noted many times, DDC dropped Buckton Fields, Ensign forced it back on. Okay, so the Labour Government has demanded a load of new houses be built in and around Northmpton, but that doesn't mean that they should just build anywhere without the proper infrastructure being put in place to support the new developments. Plus if you build houses without any green space the mental health of the local population is put at risk.

Q. Will Ensign be using local companies for the development?

A. Ensign is keen to work with the local community and will use local companies on the development where possible.

Q. Who is Ensign working with on this development?

A. Ensign is working closely with Daventry District Council, Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council as well as the local community to ensure a fully integrated consultation process to achieve the best outcome for a sustainable development that meets the needs of Northampton and its residents.

S. Now okay, the County Council have agreed to sell the land to Ensign, so yes they are working with the developers to a certain extent, but from what I understand from the new Liberal Democrat run Northampton Borough Council they are not very much in favour of all this development on greenfield land, in fact they campaigned against it for the local elections. I have spoken to a couple of the local Conservative councillors in Daventry District Council and they too stressed their opposition to the current proposal, especially without the North West Link road in place. This is by no means a for-gone conclusion, we need all the support we can muster to show the politicians that the people who live here and vote for them come election time don't want this, and that it should be rejected when the planning proposal is submitted by Ensign.

JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE DEVELOPERS, CONTACT US OR SIGN OUR ONLINE PETITION NOW, PREFERABLY BOTH!