Anger over Grange Park 450 houses decision.

Residents of Grange Park have reacted with anger to the backing of plans to build up to 450 new homes in their village.

After the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) backed the scheme earlier this week, the Chron has been inundated with angry Grange Park residents calling on the Government to overturn the decision.

Grange park resident James claimed people living in the new homes would suffer because current facilities in the area were already at capacity.

He said: "It's all well and good getting a house but your children can't go to the Grange Park school, your 'local' dentist will be in Wellingborough, your 'local' doctors' surgery will be in Kingsthorpe and the roads will be even more congested, so getting in and out of Grange Park will take even longer."

He was backed by fellow resident Stevie, who called on MP Brian Binley to raise the matter in Parliament.

He said: "I truly hope Brian Binley follows up his promise to take this issue up with the Secretary of State and questions the authority of the WNDC and bodies like it to over-ride virtually every other public body involved in such planning applications. I, for one, am disgusted."

Grange Park Parish Council member, Martin Smith, told the committee: "Extra houses will only put more pressure on already inadequate infrastructure.

Schools in the area are already at capacity and are turning people away, as are the doctors and dentists."

When asked if he thought residents would rather see big warehouses built on the land he added: "I think residents would prefer sheds. We've already got them so we know what they're like."

He was backed by Grange Park resident Matthew Dunster, who added: "If the option was for houses or sheds, I think most people would go for sheds."

The residents' stance shocked members of the WNDC's committee, who argued more warehouses would damage Grange Park in the long-term.

WNDC deputy chairman John Weir said: "This is the first time I've ever heard people in a residential area say they'd much rather have large sheds next to them than houses."

House prices are all ready falling in Grange Park, building another 450 will just drive prices down faster and lower now we have entered into a economic downturn. New builds are being the hardest hit so expect and plan for a 40% reduction in the value of a Grange Park house over the next few years.