That’s WNDC’s Marketing department’s way of telling you that out of three planning applications for 10,000 houses (which would double the size of Daventry) the Secretary of State only felt that 1,000 would be appropriate. If WNDC want to claim the credit for the 1,000 houses, then they can also expect that we will most certainly credit them with their monumental failure in respect of 9,000 houses.
It’s the Infrastructure stupid!!!
It would seem obvious to us that if you want to build 10,000 houses, or 62,000 for that matter - you need Infrastructure - and lots of it! WNDC have come up with the notion that essential services like dual carriageways and sewerage can be paid for by Developers. The Secretary of State was singularly unimpressed with this idea saying:
It’s the Infrastructure stupid!!!
It would seem obvious to us that if you want to build 10,000 houses, or 62,000 for that matter - you need Infrastructure - and lots of it! WNDC have come up with the notion that essential services like dual carriageways and sewerage can be paid for by Developers. The Secretary of State was singularly unimpressed with this idea saying:
TORY WOES INFLICTED BY THEIR OWN COUNCILLORS?
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The Secretary of State’s judgement sets a welcome precedent that drives a coach and horses through WNDC’s cock-eyed proposal that essential infrastructure such as strategic road network improvements can feasibly be paid for by a roof tax - which relies entirely upon the good fortunes of Developers to provide funding for the roads that will cope the congestion the inhabitants of their new houses will cause.
We are expecting that WNDC will shortly be sponsoring a planning application for 2,600 houses just the other side of the M1 at Upton Lodge and Norwood Farm. Up until now the Highways agency (who seem to be better grounded than our Planners) has resisted this application because they believe the increase in population will require major improvements to the road networks - including Motorway junctions. WNDC and the Developers have revised their application to say that essential road network improvements will be paid for by the Developers’ roof tax on each of the houses they sell. We always thought this was madness, given that the funding would not be available until after the houses are built and the congestion created. Imagine how long residents new and old would have to wait while the Developers (should they still be in business) hand over the money and the roads are constructed! See what has happened at St.Crispin to see how impractical such a proposition has become in these modern times.
WNDC may think it’s a good wheeze, but it would seem that the Secretary of State has already made his feelings clear on the impracticality of this careless proposition. Perhaps the Rt Hon John Denham MP can expect more votes this election year for his fine efforts to save the residents of Weedon, Flore and Upper Heyford from a housing nightmare, with no guarantee that their much longed for bypass would have ever been delivered.
We are expecting that WNDC will shortly be sponsoring a planning application for 2,600 houses just the other side of the M1 at Upton Lodge and Norwood Farm. Up until now the Highways agency (who seem to be better grounded than our Planners) has resisted this application because they believe the increase in population will require major improvements to the road networks - including Motorway junctions. WNDC and the Developers have revised their application to say that essential road network improvements will be paid for by the Developers’ roof tax on each of the houses they sell. We always thought this was madness, given that the funding would not be available until after the houses are built and the congestion created. Imagine how long residents new and old would have to wait while the Developers (should they still be in business) hand over the money and the roads are constructed! See what has happened at St.Crispin to see how impractical such a proposition has become in these modern times.
WNDC may think it’s a good wheeze, but it would seem that the Secretary of State has already made his feelings clear on the impracticality of this careless proposition. Perhaps the Rt Hon John Denham MP can expect more votes this election year for his fine efforts to save the residents of Weedon, Flore and Upper Heyford from a housing nightmare, with no guarantee that their much longed for bypass would have ever been delivered.
SECRETARY OF STATE TURNS
Inadequate infrastructure is given as the main reason
Or, if you prefer to have a WNDC spin on it .......
“WNDC News Release for Immediate Release
March 30, 2010
Ref: 243
March 30, 2010
Ref: 243
1,000 new homes approved for Daventry as public inquiry concludes”
“Enlargement of Daventry on the scale envisaged in the RSS would require significant expansion of the capacity of the local highway network, with some improvements necessary to parts of the strategic road network. The main element of these improvements is the provision of a bypass for Weedon, Flore and Upper Heyford (WFUH). All of the appellants recognise and accept the need for this to be provided at some point. However, given the absence of public funding for the foreseeable future, a reliable and fully agreed means of funding has not been secured. Full developer funding for a bypass would not accord with the guidance in Circular 05/2005 and a departure from this Circular would not be justified. In any event, a ‘pooled’ approach to contributions for highway infrastructure would not be implementable at the present time.”
“In consequence the Secretary of State concludes that only development whose traffic could be accommodated on the existing line of the A45 (assuming implementation of the SBA4 scheme), namely the Monksmoor proposal, should be permitted ahead of construction of the WFUH Bypass.”
“In consequence the Secretary of State concludes that only development whose traffic could be accommodated on the existing line of the A45 (assuming implementation of the SBA4 scheme), namely the Monksmoor proposal, should be permitted ahead of construction of the WFUH Bypass.”
Flore House, Flore, Northamptonshire - Not too close to Daventry