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Persimmon Must Comply with Planning Conditions

Independent Councillor Ian McCord is demanding West Northants Council enforces the planning permission given to Persimmon Homes and prevents further house sales on the Towcester South development as they are in breach of their planning permission.

Independent Councillor Ian McCord is demanding West Northants Council enforces the planning permission given to Persimmon Homes and prevents further house sales on the Towcester South development as they are in breach of their planning permission.

The planning permission was issued in 2012 with a list of conditions. Condition 22 States that before the occupation of the 800^th house the roundabout that connects to the A5 and the first stretch of the Towcester Relief Road to the second roundabout must be open to traffic. 

Recently Persimmon passed the 800^th occupation and have not completed this stretch of the road or complied with the planning conditions. The A5 roundabout is currently being built, and lies in the Deanshanger ward that Cllr McCord represents on WNC. WNC have confirmed that the works are due to finish in July 2023.

Ian McCord said, “Persimmon Homes have known about this for almost a decade. They are well aware of the planning conditions and are gaming the system and treating residents with contempt.

“The only language they understand is profit. The council must stop them from selling more houses until the conditions are complied with. There are other breaches on this site relating to the occupation of 512 houses, almost two years ago, that WNC need to address, but they are not in my ward and others need to call that out.

“This total disregard for the planning conditions erodes any small confidence that residents have in the planning process. WNC must take action and enforce these conditions and get the Towcester Relief Road open.

“Another big milestone is the occupation of 1016 houses when the Towcester Relief Road must open end to end. With the A5 connection being a year late and no discernible start being made on the connection to the A43 I fear that condition will be missed. WNC must make it clear whose side they are on, residents or house builders.”

Background Information:

Planning Reference: S/2007/0374/

https://snc.planning-register.co.uk/Planning/Display/S/2007/0374/OUTWNS

The Towcester South SUE has many conditions and a S106 that runs to many dozens of pages.

Condition 22 States

22. No more than 800 dwellings shall be occupied until:

(a) the A5/Relief Road Junction improvements as shown on WSP drawing 2688/GA/006 Rev D (or as amended by Road Safety Audit or Detailed Design) is complete and open to traffic; AND

(b) the access into the development from the first section of the Relief Road as detailed on drawing number 2688/GA/106 Rev D (or as amended by Road Safety Audit or Detailed Design) is complete and open to traffic

Reason: (1) To ensure that an adequate and safe access is provided to and within the site in accordance with policy G3(B) of the South Northamptonshire Local Plan. (2) To ensure that the A5 and A43 Trunk Roads continue to serve their purpose as part of the national system of routes for through traffic in accordance with Section 10(2) of the Highways Act 1980 by minimising disruption on the trunk road resulting from increased traffic and in the interest of highway safety. The infrastructure has been determined following testing using the Agency’s VISSIM micro-simulation model and the schemes outlined have been identified in line with DfT Circular 02/2007.

This roundabout and first part of the road is my ward.

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Comments

Always Write

At 12:29 on 1st November 2022, Always Write commented:

Why did it take the guy from deanshanger to raise this. What are the towcester members doing about it

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Ian McCord

At 15:02 on 1st November 2022, Ian McCord commented:

Always Write - you are being a little unfair here. This roundabout is in the Deanshanger Ward, which includes the Racecourse and down to Refield Close but the opposite side of the road to the Racecourse is Towcester Ward. The line is in the middle of the A5.

I have a good working knowledge of this scheme from my SNC days so rather than divide, let's all work together to highlight that this condition has not been met, the next one at 1016, opening the road end to end, is in danger of not being met - and what will WNC do about it.

To me the only language the developer understands is not being able to sell homes - prevent sales and see how long it takes to get compliance.

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Paul K

At 00:36 on 2nd November 2022, Paul K commented:

I asked about the progress of the 'relief road' back in March '22 and was told by the planning office that there was 'no way of knowing how many properties are now occupied'. I suggested knowing was part of their role and was then told by the Principle Planning Officer that the last they knew, 597 houses had been sold in September '21. From his response they have no intention of holding Persimmon to any of the requirements of the original planning consent. Persimmon are solely focussed on their £1billion of sales and the planning office seems to have no purpose at all!!

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Paul K

At 00:36 on 2nd November 2022, Paul K commented:

I asked about the progress of the 'relief road' back in March '22 and was told by the planning office that there was 'no way of knowing how many properties are now occupied'. I suggested knowing was part of their role and was then told by the Principle Planning Officer that the last they knew, 597 houses had been sold in September '21. From his response they have no intention of holding Persimmon to any of the requirements of the original planning consent. Persimmon are solely focussed on their £1billion of sales and the planning office seems to have no purpose at all!!

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Ian McCord

At 07:10 on 2nd November 2022, Ian McCord commented:

Paul, if that is what you were told it is just wrong. The council does monitor these sites. There are other triggers that demand invoices to be sent to Permission and they are raised and sent, for example Sponne received £1.2m to help with their science block at 500 houses, and will get another £1.3 once 1000 are hit.

I have not seen your response from planning, but it’s probably similar to mine, weak, ineffective, lacking any sense that the integrity of the process must be maintained. Planning enforcement have had an unwritten policy that if you have a legal department they go easily, if you don’t they will come for you.

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peter k

At 14:10 on 2nd November 2022, peter k commented:

Very glad to read Ian McCord's article and the comments made by others.

Interestingly, this issue of the Southern development should be of concern in other ways. Which local government authority is overseeing the project? I wrote to our MP (copied to TTC & SNC) last week, asking was she concerned about the seeming lack of overseeing by anyone. A Clerk of Works type of system of old.

I was pleased to see, on the plans, that there are several small areas designated for football kickabouts, running tracks and some four football pitches, my concern is that they will very quickly be forgotten and houses built on them. This actually happened on the Shires development where the large public grass area in the middle lasted only a few months of houses being sold before it was replaced by more housing.

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