Appeal underway for 700 new houses in Brackley
30/10/2025
The council and developer now both agree the development is acceptable, despite local opposition
by Nadia Lincoln, Local Democracy Reporter
A four-day planning inquiry into proposals to build up to 700 homes on the edge of Brackley has kicked off this week.
The large housing development was first referred to the planning inspectorate by developers Ashfield Land, Vulpes Land and Davidsons Developments Ltd in June this year, due to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) failing to issue a decision on the scheme in time.
The plans would see 35 hectares of greenfield land along the western border of Brackley earmarked for hundreds of homes, as well as areas of public open space, an extension to Brackley Rugby Union Club, and allotments. Access to the new estate has been proposed from Halse Road and the A422 Brackley roundabout.
WNC previously notified the planning inspector that it would have refused the scheme, had it been in charge of the decision, because there was no satisfactory section 106 legal agreement in place.
Since then, an acceptable section 106 agreement has been entered into, and therefore the council won’t argue that the housing development should be refused permission at the inquiry.
Planning committee members were told at the time that if a suitable legal agreement was reached on the lead up to the inquiry that their reasons for refusal would fall away. They were also warned by officers against putting forward extra reasons for refusal, such as the site not being allocated in the local plan, as they would struggle to defend them at appeal.
Speaking at the opening of the inquiry on Tuesday (October 28), Sasha White KC, who is representing the appellants, told the planning inspector that it was “an unusual appeal in which, ultimately, the two main parties agree that planning permission should be granted”.
However, the difference in their arguments came down to the developer’s view that WNC does not have a five-year housing land supply and their accusation that the authority’s development plan is not up to date.
Andrew Fraser-Urquhart KC, who spoke on behalf of the council, added: “The position of both parties is that planning permission ought to be granted. The dispute of the parties is as to the route as to which that planning permission ought to be granted.”
He contended that, even with the council’s development plan applied in full force, the benefits of the housing scheme would outweigh the breach of policy from building on an unallocated site.
Despite the agreeable position from both parties fighting the appeal, the scheme was controversial locally, with more than 100 objections submitted by members of the public. Concerns were raised at the time over a lack of infrastructure, the increase in traffic on local roads and the loss of farmland.
Cllr Fiona Baker (Brackley) attended the inquiry to appeal directly to the inspector to fully review all of the proposals and turn down the scheme.
She said: “When I was first involved in Brackley 20 years ago, there were just under 8,000 residents. We are now just over 18,000 residents, so I don’t think we can be accused of being ‘Nimbys’.
“Many residents do feel that we in Brackley have done our bit. We have a shortage of doctors, surgeries and no capacity for dental appointments on the NHS at all. A major concern is the roundabout at the bottom of Banbury Road on the A422 is already, and was this morning, heavily congested at peak times.
“I’m hard-pressed to see where the benefit outweighs the disadvantages, as I’m sure many residents will agree with me.”
Alan Mayes, of Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Northamptonshire, also told the hearing that there was no need to sacrifice greenfield sites for housing.
“We believe strongly in the principle of a plan-led system that secures sustainable and well-located growth through public consultation and democratic choice,” he said.
“This proposal for around 700 homes lies wholly outside the settlement confines of Brackley on open greenfield land. CPRE considers the site to form part of the distinct open countryside that defines the western edge of Brackley.”
However, there was some support for the development, with local resident Kevin Blencowe stating that there is “an urgent lack of social housing across the country” and the need for Brackley and other smaller towns to play their part in meeting the housing shortfall.
The inquiry is taking place in the West Northamptonshire Council offices in The Forum, Towcester, and is also live-streamed on the council’s YouTube channel.
It is expected to sit for four days, with the closing submissions to be presented to the planning inspector virtually on Friday, October 31.
The final decision on the plans will be issued after the inquiry through a written report.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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Malcolm Famcourt On 30/10/2025 at 8:00 pm
as usual the planning inspector has ignored the concerns of local residents in allowing the use of green belt land to appease the government and local labour supporters such as the Blencowes of this world because there won’t be any so called social housing. Access will be a major problem