Inspector to decide on 700 more homes on Brackley’s western side
17/07/2025
West Northamptonshire Council’s decision would have been to reject the plans
by Nadia Lincoln, Local Democracy Reporter
Plans to build up to 700 homes on the edge of Brackley have been turned down, but the decision must now go to a planning appeal inquiry for a final call.
The large housing development was referred to the Planning Inspectorate last month after West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) failed to issue a decision on the plans for four years. Whatever decision the Government-appointed Inspector makes will trump the authority’s current refusal notice.
The plans for the homes, submitted by developers Ashfield Land Vulpes Land, would have seen greenfield land along the western border of Brackley earmarked for hundreds of homes on the 35-hectare site. The residential expansion would have also brought forward areas of public open space, an extension to Brackley Rugby Union Club, and allotments as well as the housing offer, with access proposed from Halse Road and the A422 Brackley roundabout.
More than 100 letters of objection were submitted in response to the plans, with further objections lodged by Farthinghoe Parish Council, the Wildlife Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
Lack of capacity in dentists, GPs, schools and other local facilities in the town was a key concern of many local residents, as well as the loss of farmland and biodiversity. Other fears about the increase in traffic on local roads, including the A422 towards Brackley, also made up strong objections.
An officer’s report published ahead of the meeting recommended that the council notify the inspectorate that they would have rejected the plans, had they been the determining body. The reasoning offered was that there was no agreed Section 106 agreement for the development.
This sets out financial contributions promised by the developer for local priorities such as libraries, public transport, education and healthcare, as well as other commitments for measures such as affordable housing and public open space.
Cllr Fiona Baker, a ward member for Brackley on WNC, told members that she has been inundated with complaints from residents about the housing estate plans.
She said: “Brackley has already had a significant growth of developments and this has already burdened the local infrastructure of roads, schools, healthcare and amenities. We’re still navigating the huge development to the north of the town.
“In this application, there’s a mention of allotments and a rugby pitch- this is in no way compensation for the increase of a minimum of 1,400 people joining the area.
“The traffic situation in the morning is like a mass exodus from the town. It puts pressure on the A422 and on Farthinghoe. Adding more houses would be detrimental to the quality of life of the residents already in the town.
“I ask you to refuse this application, not because it’s ‘not in my backyard’, but because enough is enough.”
Cllr Charles Manners (Rural South Northamptonshire, Cons) suggested strengthening officers’ refusal reasons for the appeal process so it did not just rely on the absence of a Section 106. He said the fact that the area already has a five-year land supply and that the site had not been allocated in the Local Plan should also serve as valid reasons.
However, the Head of Development Management, Simon Ellis, warned members that if they were to add further refusal reasons, officers would struggle to defend them at appeal and would likely have to employ an alternative team.
He said this was because their decision would be contrary to the assessment made by the WNC planning officers and their view that the benefits of the scheme would outweigh any potential harm.
Committee members ultimately followed officer recommendations, voting to contest the upcoming appeal solely on the grounds that there is no satisfactory S106 agreement in place to mitigate the development.
The appeal will be heard via a public inquiry in WNC offices in Towcester at the end of October.
Officers said they would work with the appellant in the lead up to the inquiry to secure appropriate Section 106 conditions. If this can be agreed before the appeal, the Council’s putative reason for refusal would fall away.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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