A 32-home development has just been approved in Old Stratford – but is it right for our village?
This decision could strain our schools, increase flood risks, and change the rural character we love of Old Stratford and Stony Stratford.
The developer has got the go ahead… But we can still take action!
Read on to see how we can challenge this decision and protect our local community.
Challenging the Appeal Decision:
Grounds for Objection and the Next Steps We Can Take
The Planning Inspector, C Carpenter, identified two key issues in allowing the appeal for 32 affordable homes at Land East of The Meadows, Old Stratford:
- Suitability of Location – whether the site is appropriately located in relation to settlements, local services, and facilities.
- Impact on Character and Appearance – whether the development would harm the rural character of the area.
Despite the Inspector’s conclusion, local residents have legitimate concerns that were not fully addressed, particularly regarding flood risk, infrastructure strain, and landscape impact. Below is an analysis of where the decision can be challenged.
1. Suitability of Location: Is the Site Really Sustainable?
Lack of Adequate Local Infrastructure to Support the Development
Potential Challenge:
- The Inspector concluded that the site is sustainable, but this does not reflect the full reality of local infrastructure pressures.
- Schools, GP surgeries, and public transport services are already stretched, and the financial contributions agreed under Section 106 (£73,608 for education, £24,384 for healthcare, and £6,071 for libraries) may not be sufficient to offset the demand from 32 new households.
- The nearest primary school (Old Stratford Primary School) is oversubscribed, and the nearest GP practice (Stony Medical Centre) has long waiting times.
- Residents will likely be car-dependent, leading to increased traffic congestion in the village and surrounding areas.
The adjacent photo shows the local traffic congestion issues we already have today. It is taken from London Road just off the Stony Stratford bridge looking up to the traffic lights at the junction (to go left to The Meadows estate) in Old Stratford. The photo was taken around 5pm on 30 Jan 2025. This bumper-to-bumper traffic continues up through the whole of Old Stratford village to the A5 roundabout and gets even worse (i.e. more cars sitting for longer and giving off more exhaust fumes) through the rush hour. Having an additional 32 households with 2 or more cars each trying to get to The Meadows estate is only going to add to the problem!
How to Object:
Request an independent infrastructure impact assessment to determine if the financial contributions are adequate.
Engage with local schools and healthcare providers to obtain statements on their existing capacity limits.
Highlight the lack of viable public transport options, showing that the development does not support sustainable transport policies.
🏡 How This Will Affect You
If you live in Old Stratford or Stony Stratford in particular, this is going to affect you!
Imagine your child not getting a school place, waiting weeks for a GP appointment, sitting in even worse traffic on your work commute, or your home being at greater risk of air pollution and flooding. These are real concerns if this development goes ahead unchecked.
Flood Risk: Questionable Calculations & Poorly Located SUDS Pond Could Worsen Flooding
Potential Challenge:
- The Inspector relied on a Flood Risk Assessment and SuDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) report provided by the developer’s own consultant (EAS, part of RO Group), which raises concerns over impartiality.
- The Milton Keynes Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) had previously rejected the developer’s drainage plans due to incorrect runoff and hydraulic calculations. This suggests that existing flood risks may not have been properly mitigated.
- The site is adjacent to a floodplain, and additional surface runoff from new housing could exacerbate flooding in Stony Stratford and downstream areas.
- The Inspector acknowledged community concerns about flood risk but ultimately dismissed them without requiring an independent review. Residents who suffer with local flooding year on year have serious reservations about the Inspector’s conclusions.
- Local residents believe that the proposed drainage pond is being placed too far down the development site in an area already prone to flooding from the nearby river. If the river overtops, this pond will fill up rapidly and cease to function, potentially causing water to back up into homes leading to serious property damage, and even safety risks for residents.
- A higher placement of the SuDS pond within the development would allow water to be controlled more effectively, reducing the risk of increased localised flooding.
How to Object:
Challenge the reliance on the developer’s SuDS report: Request that the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) be consulted again to reassess the risk.
Request an independent flood risk review from the Environment Agency and the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) to assess whether the SuDS pond location is appropriate.
Highlight previous concerns: Use the council’s own rejection of the drainage strategy as evidence that the proposed measures are inadequate.
Engage with environmental and flood risk campaign groups to raise awareness of the issue.
Demand that the pond be relocated to higher ground, where it will not be rendered useless by river flooding. (Once again, provide our photographic and historical evidence of past flood events in the area to demonstrate that placing the pond lower is a flawed decision.)
🏡 How This Will Affect You
If the developer’s drainage plans have incorrect runoff and hydraulic calculations as Milton Keynes Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) has previously suggested, the flood risk could be catastrophic for locals! On top of this, if the development’s SuDS drainage pond is being placed too far down the site in an area already prone to flooding from the River Ouse, this is a major design flaw that could have devastating flooding effects too!
❌ Increased Flooding for Residents – If the river floods, the SuDS pond won’t function, meaning excess rainwater could flow into homes and streets in Stony Stratford. ❌ Drainage System Failure – The SuDS system is meant to hold rainwater, but if it’s underwater, it can’t do its job. ❌ Increased Risk for Future Homes – The development itself could face serious drainage problems, causing long-term issues.
2. Impact on Character & Appearance: Will the Development Overwhelm the Village?
Overdevelopment & Loss of Rural Identity
Potential Challenge:
- The Inspector ruled that the development would be a “seamless extension” to the existing village, but the scale and density of 32 dwellings could significantly change the character of Old Stratford.
- The rural setting and visual impact were underplayed in the decision, with only minor landscaping mitigation proposed.
- The decision assumes that an increase in housing will not erode the village’s identity, but local objections suggest otherwise.
- The Council had originally refused the application, which suggests concerns about whether the proposal fits with the scale and form of the village.
- As the last remaining natural green space in Old Stratford village, residents argue that the development of 32 homes to extend on the Meadow View estate in one concentrated area will drastically change the rural setting, eroding the village’s sense of place.
How to Object:
Submit objections highlighting how the development alters the village’s character and contradicts Local Plan policies on protecting rural settlements.
Demand stronger visual buffers, such as tree planting and design changes, to reduce the suburban feel of the estate.
Show how other similar appeal decisions have been dismissed due to loss of rural character.
🏡 How This Will Affect You
Our villages are at risk of losing their unique rural character. This development isn’t just a few extra houses. It’s a step towards overdevelopment that could permanently change Old Stratford and Stony Stratford.
The Inspector clearly doesn’t live here and fails to truly understand the repercussions that 32 additional households will have on our communities that are already feeling the pressure from other new local housing developments impacting the charm and identity of our community.
Even more traffic on local roads, greater pressure on local services, and the loss of Old Stratford’s last remaining natural, open, green space will all erode the peaceful village feel we all cherish.
Next Steps: How Local Residents Can Take Action
📩 Request a Review of Flood Risk & SuDS Placement:
Contact the Environment Agency and Milton Keynes LLFA to reassess the flood mitigation strategy.
📧 enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk (Tel. 03708 506 506)
- 📧 llfa@milton-keynes.gov.uk (Tel. 01908 691 691)
Push for the SuDS pond to be moved to higher ground to prevent failure during floods.
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☝️ Challenge the Decision on Infrastructure Grounds:
Submit formal objections arguing that schools, healthcare, and transport networks cannot absorb the new development.
🖊️Lobby councillors and MPs:
Elected MP for Milton Keynes North: Chris Curtis – Labour MP 📧 chris.curtis.mp@parliament.uk
Elected MP for South Northamptonshire (Old Stratford): Sarah Bool – Conservative MP 📧 sarah.bool.mp@parliament.uk
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📣 Raise Awareness & Mobilise Public Opinion
Engage with local newspapers and social media to highlight concerns.
⚖️ Consider Legal Options
If there is evidence that flood risk or infrastructure strain was inadequately considered, seek legal advice on a judicial review.
Seek legal advice on the liability of the developer / builder/ Council for the forewarned flood damage to local properties.
> IF YOU ARE A LEGAL PROFESSIONAL WHO CAN ADVISE ON THIS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT: info@saveoldstratfordfloodplain.co.uk
