View source for Collingtree Park

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox district
| name                            = Collingtree Park
| official_name                   = 
| settlement_type                 = District
| image_skyline                   = Collingtree Park, Northampton, England - Gate Lodges.jpg
| image_caption                   = All that remains of Collingtree Grange
| coordinates                     = {{coord|52|11|48.16|N|0|54|2.28|W}}
| pushpin_map                     = Northamptonshire
| subdivision_type                = [[Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name                = [[United Kingdom]]
| subdivision_type1               = [[Country]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[England]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[Borough]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Northampton]]
| elevation_m                     = 78
| area_total_km2                  = 1.18
}}

'''Collingtree Park''' is a district in the [[Northampton Borough Council|Borough of Northampton]] in the [[East Midlands]] of England.[[Image:Collingtree Grange, Collingtree, England.jpg|thumb|right|290px|Collingtree Grange, by the architect 1879]]{{TOC left}}

==Location==
Collingtree Park is located at the extreme south of the urban area, due north of the village of [[Collingtree]], which itself is in the Northampton borough. It is currently a small part of the [[East Hunsbury]] area of the town.
{{TOC right}}

==History==
Part of the area is the site of the former Collingtree Grange and park demolished in the 1960s<ref name="nbccca">{{cite web|title = Northampton Borough Council: Collingtree Conservation area appraisal - May 2008|url=http://www.northampton.gov.uk/info/200207/building_conservation_and_trees/1625/collingtree_conservation_area|accessdate = 14 August 2014}}</ref> but the many old trees from the original park grounds have been retained. The Grange was constructed in 1875 by a local architect, [[Edmund Francis Law]], for Mr [[Pickering Phipps]], a local brewer.<ref name = "Pevsner">{{Cite book | author=Pevsner, Nikolaus| title=The Buildings of England &ndash; Northamptonshire| year=1961 | publisher=Yale University Press | location=London and New Haven | isbn=978-0-300-09632-3 | pages=154–155}}</ref> The house was immediately north of the church of St Columba, with the front facing north to north-east.<ref name="nbccca"/> The Sears family, a local boot and shoe manufacturer, purchased the house in 1913<ref>Family documents</ref> and completely re-planning Glebe Farm.<ref name="nbccca"/> Only the entrance lodges and gateway remain on the A45 road close to an old bridge which carried the main road. The bridge crosses [[Wootton, Northamptonshire|Wootton]] brook which flows west to join the [[River Nene]] on the west side of Northampton. The park still retains a number of tall [[Sequoioideae|sequoia]] trees from the original landscaping but some have been lost by the encroachment of their roots on modern houses built too close.

Collingtree Park is a short walking distance via a bridle path to the historic village of Collingtree. Mentioned the Domesday Book, Collingtree is recorded as 'Colentrev' and as 'trev' is the Celtic word for place, this could well derive from 'the place of St Columb' and be the likely origin of the village name. More details and information about Collingtree village can be found in their local website.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.justcollingtree.co.uk/ |title=Home |website=justcollingtree.co.uk}}</ref>

==Facilities==
There is a Virgin Active (formerly Esporta) Health Club in the park, a Care Home and Collingtree Park Golf Club.<ref>{{cite web|title = Collingtree Park Golf Club|url = http://www.collingtreeparkgolf.com/|accessdate = 20 July 2008}}</ref> A number of large modern houses are an integral part of the golf course. The course was designed by [[The Open Championship|The Open]] and [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] champion [[Johnny Miller]]. The area is close to other facilities in East Hunsbury and near to the [[A45 road]] (re-numbered from the [[A508 road]] in the early 21st century) and within a mile of [[M1 motorway|M1]] junction 15.

==Expansion==
In July 2008 a proposal.<ref>{{cite web|title = Collingtree Park extension proposal of 2008 by Bovis Homes|url = http://collingtreeparkextension.info|accessdate = 19 July 2008|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110813203934/http://collingtreeparkextension.info/|archivedate = 13 August 2011|df = dmy-all}}</ref> for a major urban extension of housing was being planned by [[Bovis Homes]] to the east of the [[golf course]] with some ''remodelling'' of the course. The extension includes some 2,000 houses of which around 35% will be [[affordable housing]]. Access to the site for residents is proposed from Rowtree Road and Windingbrook Lane in [[East Hunsbury]]. This still leaves a remaining area for possible future development. Concern has been expressed about access for vehicle to Collingtree Park and East Hunsbury as there are only four entrance/exit points at present and no plans for any more.<ref name="BPA">[https://oakmont-secure.com/Bovis-Planning-Application-2013.nsf/ Notable responses from residents of the area, Retrieved 7 January 2014] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107174106/https://oakmont-secure.com/Bovis-Planning-Application-2013.nsf/ |date=7 January 2014 }}</ref> At the end of 2013 the Bovis proposal was reduced to 1000 houses in an attempt to resolve potential flooding, air pollution and traffic congestion in the area. The local neighbourhood continues to oppose any development whatsoever and this stance is supported by Northampton Borough Councillors and Northampton County Councillors representing the area.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hcra2013.co.uk/ |title=Hunsbury & Collingtree Residents Alliance |access-date=14 July 2014 |archive-date=17 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717033829/http://www.hcra2013.co.uk/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> As at August 2014 the Independent Government Inspectors Report into the 'soundness' of the Joint Core Strategy for the expansion of Northampton is still awaited. Meanwhile, in late 2013 a large 2 million sq foot warehouse was speculatively proposed along a large section of the south side of the M1 at Collingtree. Expansion south of the M1 was excluded from the original Joint Core Strategy. A formal planning application was submitted in 2014.<ref name = "Howdens">{{cite web |url=http://www.roxhill.co.uk/portfolio/northampton-gateway-j15/|title=M1 Junction 15 proposals 2013|publisher =Roxhill Developments 2014|accessdate=13 August 2014}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.collingtreeparkgolf.com/ Collingtree Park Golf Club]
*{{oscoor gbx|SP752566}}
{{Northampton|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Areas of Northampton]]