Following rumours that Daventry District Council were making decisions regarding future plans for the remaining Middlemore Sites 7 & 8 East, two of our representatives went along to observe the Strategy Group meeting held at DDC Council Chamber on Thursday 10th July 2014.
As residents know Middlemore Residents Association has campaigned tirelessly for more than two years to try to secure a primary school which due to many factors beyond our control has not been achievable.
So what is going to happen now with the remaining sites ?
Daventry District Council Strategy Group recommendations for Site 8 East are as follows:
- It is recognised that it is unrealistic to expect to see a primary school secured for Middlemore, and that accordingly land will no longer be reserved for that purpose and will instead be used for residential development.
- That land at Middlemore may be sold at market rates for use such as a children’s nursery or other facility provided the land value achieved does not compromise the ability to gain the return from Middlemore Site 7 as a whole which would be achieved through achievable residential use.
- It is clarified that the existing consent to dispose of land at Middlemore includes consent to dispose of land for residential uses including care homes, extra care housing and similar types of accommodation.
Plans for Site 7:
The council intend to find a commercial buyer for this land and are having to consider a solution to the noise issues created by the neighbouring Heartlands Business Park. To build another land bund (as they have for sites 8w and 9) would cost in excess of £100,000 so they need to find alternative solutions for this land which are less susceptible to noise impacts.
During discussions at the meeting some of the councillors present asked questions such as:
* What has happened to the S106 monies?
* Why does the council need to sell the land that it gave to the residents?
* It was pointed out that there are absolutely no facilities on Middlemore and that a community hall or other multi-purpose building could be put to more use.
Disappointingly it seems not all of the questions raised are included in the minutes but the emphasis that Daventry District Council need to secure a return for the land was made clear throughout their discussions.
Minutes of the strategy meeting can be found by clicking here scroll to page 7.
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A decision on the recommendations listed above will take place on THURSDAY 24th July at 6:15pm and is open to anyone to attend.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION YOU WOULD LIKE ASKED AT THE MEETING?
Notification of a request to ask a question at Full Council DOES need to be given.(Questions are not accepted by the Chairman on the night).
You can write a letter (or send an email) which must be received before 10m on 23rd July 2014 to either:
Ian Vincent – ivincent@daventrydc.gov.uk or Simon Bovey – sbovey@daventrydc.gov.uk
We would also respectfully ask that all communication is copied to info@middlemore.co & your local Daventry District Councillors who are:
* Councillor Chris Long – clong@daventrydc.gov.uk
* Nigel Carr – ncarr@daventrydc.gov.uk
* Maureen Luke – mluke@daventrydc.gov.uk
