150 homes at Land to the north of the Brackley North SUE (Radstone Fields)

What was proposed

Outline permission was sought for up to 150 homes, with access decided now and other details reserved, alongside roads, paths, drainage, landscaping and parking.

“Location: Land to the north of the Brackley North SUE (Radstone Fields)”

“Development: Outline planning application with all matters reserved apart from principal points of access for up to 150 dwellings, together with supporting infrastructure including access roads, cycle and pedestrian routes, sustainable urban drainage systems, hard and soft landscaping and car parking.”

Officer report

The site

The site is a 9.74-hectare agricultural field on Brackley’s northern edge, beside existing housing, woodland, a former railway corridor and areas at surface-water flood risk.

“The application site is located on the northern edge of Brackley to the east of Radstone Road and is approximately 9.74 hectares in area. The site comprises the southern section of an agricultural field extending to the east along the southern boundary as an ‘L’ shape to include an adjoining woodland area, known as Foxhill Spinney.”

“Along the eastern boundary is a vegetated former railway corridor, which is designated as a Site of Scientific Interest (Helmdon Disused Railway SSSI) from the point where it abuts the north-eastern corner of the application site and extends northwards. The corridor also forms part of a Green Infrastructure Corridor as designated by the South Northamptonshire Local Plan, part of which falls within the application site.”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

A screening opinion found the proposal was not EIA development, while a separate 700-home scheme was approved at appeal and another 450-home application remains current.

“2023/5381/SCRN Screening Opinion - Outline planning application with all matters reserved apart from principal points of access for up to 150 dwellings, together with supporting infrastructure including access roads, cycle and pedestrian routes, sustainable urban drainage systems, hard and soft landscaping and car parking at Land to the north of the Brackley North SUE (Radstone Fields) Screening Opinion Issued 20 July 2023.”

“S/2021/0492/EIA Outline permission, with access not reserved, for up to 700 residential dwellings, areas of public open space, a rugby pitch, landscaping, allotments, sustainable drainage and associated infrastructure. Application accompanied by an Environmental Statement Land to the west of Brackley APPROVED AT APPEAL January 2026.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission because the housing and affordable housing benefits outweighed development-plan conflict and limited landscape and visual harm, subject to controls.

“The proposed development is on greenfield land which is outside of the settlement boundary for Brackley, where development is not sequentially preferable in the adopted Development Plan and this is a conflict with the Development Plan in relation to JCS policies S1, S3, B1(a) and R1, and LPP2 policies SS1(2 and 4) and LH1. There is some harm, therefore, to the Development Plan spatial strategy due to the development being in a 'rural' location.”

“The proposal would result in landscape and visual harm to the site itself and some visual harm to views from outside the site from the south west/ south. However, whilst impacts within the site would be significant, outside the site, subject to the proposed landscape retention and enhancement, the visual harms are considered relatively limited. It is afforded adverse moderate weight.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Highways, flood, environment, health, housing and education consultees raised no objection, while Brackley Town Council objected and Radstone Parish Council commented on roads, services and buses.

“Consultee Name Position Comment WNC Highways No objection Recommend conditions in respect of construction of management of estate roads, engineering and construction details of estate roads including street lighting details, access construction and visibility splays, footway/ cycleway construction, Construction and Environmental Management Plan, no structures to overhang highways…”

“Radstone Parish Council Comment Any additional developments within Brackley and particularly adjacent to the Radstone Fields development should consider the impact of the following within the WNC planning process: • WNC should review the impact of additional road traffic upon the existing poor local rural road network. Radstone Road has experienced over recent years increasing traffic volumes, assumed to be from the existing Radstone Fields development.”

Officer report

What residents said

Twenty-two objections raised concerns including traffic, parking, public transport, schools, healthcare, wildlife, the SSSI, flooding, utilities, noise and loss of green space.

“Noise pollution in peaceful area and affecting proposed residents • Impact on wellbeing for existing residents and access to nature • Increased traffic • Insufficient parking in area • Out of date traffic data (uses 2011 Census) • Access from the ring road will likely be by Poppyfields Way, Flanders Way and/or Radstone road. There are already enough parked cars on the road to make that road hazardous, additional traffic is not going to help that.”

“Impact on SSSI – will be obvious area for dog walking and for use as children’s play park • Impact on flooding due to gradient of the land • Incorrect reporting of parkland views • Devaluing of property • Safety – existing overhead electricity lines cross the site • Proximity to HS2 • Mains Water Pressure: Recent reductions in mains water pressure are directly attributed to the strain on the existing, already aging infrastructure, exacerbated by the HS2 construction.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent supported the application, highlighting its contained location, housing, affordable homes, infrastructure contributions, open space and environmental measures.

Committee debate

Members discussed affordable housing, access, pylons, levels, healthcare contributions, foul water, drainage, development timing and additional conditions.

“During the committee the Major Projects Team Leader and the Head of Development Management provided the following information in response to questions from members: • The 40% affordable housing would be secured through the Section 106 Agreement. Any reduction to the percentage of affordable housing would require the developer to provide evidence and justification.”

“Following a debate, it was proposed by Councillor Sally Keeble that application 2023/6767/MAO be approved in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation and with the additional stipulations that: 1. A condition to be added; requiring, as part of the Reserved Matters application, a tenure layout plan be submitted, identifying the distribution of affordable housing across the site. 2.”

Minutes

The decision

Permission was granted with the reported conditions, added requirements, delegated authority and a Section 106 obligation securing housing, infrastructure, open space and biodiversity measures.

“Resolved That permission be granted subject to: 1. The conditions set out in the reports. 2. A condition to be added; requiring, as part of the Reserved Matters application, a tenure layout plan be submitted identifying the distribution of affordable housing across the site. 3.”

“Sustainable Transport • To pay a financial contribution of £5,000 towards the Council’s reasonable costs of monitoring and enforcing the travel plan. Open Space Provision • To provide a minimum of 0.58ha of open space to include a minimum of 0.08ha of childrens play space and 0.10ha of allotments within the development • To pay a financial contribution of £102,189.75 towards the commuted costs of maintaining the open space and play areas • To transfer the freehold of the…”

Minutes