The pressure to expand housing in the beautiful town of Oundle continues with approved planning permission to build twenty-four new ‘affordable’ housing units off Benefield Road. The development of more housing in Oundle has always been a cause for concern between locals and authorities and the debate continues.

Bovis Homes is the housing company building the new development at Benefield Road. As one of Britain’s leading house builders, it is a large company and well known in the industry. There have been some notable complaints however. One owner of a Bovis Home expressed his concern about the company, claiming that sales staff will promise ‘the moon and the stars’ and will agree to anything, but once Bovis have their money it is difficult to get their Customer Services to do anything to sort out the ’snags’.

In June 2003, Oundle also saw the launch of a major affordable housing scheme with the construction of fifty-two units off Benefield Road. This £3.2 million project went ahead with the support from the East Northamptonshire Council as a result of a housing survey which had identified a lack of affordable housing for local people.

Many locals welcome the Council’s intention to construct additional affordable housing in the area. Alan Brookfield, a local resident, is enthusiastic about the new development. In a survey about the last Benefield Development he expressed his optimism about the new housing scheme, saying that ‘it has proven to be a real asset to the community. There continues to be a high demand for housing for young families and, indeed, single people who are employed in the town, often on modest incomes.’

However many locals fear that these proposals threaten to engulf and overwhelm local communities, increase traffic congestion, and undermine the Government’s commitment to the Green Belt. Dr N J Fletcher, an Oundle resident, is extremely concerned about the plans for further housing in the town and says that ‘it is imperative that no further housing developments are considered’. The council are also worried that Prince William School will become too large, prompting a decline in educational standards.

Bovis Homes had originally planned on building forty-nine new housing units in the area, but this was refused by the East-Northamptonshire Planning Committee due to the ‘nature of the height, bulk, scale and massing of the proposed buildings’ which ‘would be out of keeping and overly prominent to the detriment of the character and appearance of the area.’ It would also cause ‘an unacceptable overbearing impact on the adjacent property.’

Bovis Homes describe the new housing plans in Oundle as a ‘new development featuring three bedroom town houses plus four and five bedroom detached family homes.’ However, members of the planning committee expressed concerns that of the twenty-four proposed units, there did not appear to be any ‘affordable’ housing as defined. Some members expressed doubts that a development of twenty-four units was required to provide ‘affordable’ housing. Another option was to press for fewer four and five bedroom units, substituting three bedroom units, thus making the properties more accessible to first or second time buyers.

It is not certain when the twenty-four new housing units will be finished, let alone started, but it is clear that the debate on the new housing will be a priority for the people of Oundle.