160-home development for Leicestershire village approved after planning issues
A 160-home village development has received a second approval from officials after planning issues meant it had to be reconsidered. The proposals for Melton Road in Queniborough by Hallam Land Management were tentatively given the go ahead in June, despite fears over the loss of separation between the village and neighbouring East Goscote.
At the time, Charnwood Borough Council's (CBC) plans committee delegated the official sign-off to the head of planning so further decisions on conditions and obligations required from the developer could be made. But the plans were brought back before the committee last week, with members hearing there had been a number of developments concerning the application.
The application was one of four that were reheard by the committee for several reasons, but all were affected by issues with Leicestershire County Council’s draft transport strategy concerning the borough. This had a knock-on effect on how the borough council requests contributions from developers towards highway and transport infrastructure leading to a change in planning conditions attached to the application.
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Planning officers also explained the national highways authority had now confirmed they had no objection to the scheme with Severn Trent recommending a condition be added regarding drainage. There had been more than 250 objections to the application, with some expressing fears over the closing of the gap between Queniborough and East Goscote.
Speaking at the meeting, Councillor David Infield told members: “This proposal is a major intrusion into the area of separation between Queniborough and East Goscote, and as such the site should in my view have never been included in the draft area plan. It’s important they remain distinct villages and not merge into a conurbation.
“All that would be left between the two villages is the road and a strip alongside this on either side. The proposed houses will overload this small village, which is already accommodating significant new build. In particular, the primary school in the village will not be able to expand to accommodate the additional children, and many will have to travel to other schools adding to traffic along already busy roads.”
No-one on behalf of the developer spoke at the meeting, but in June David Pendle, representing the applicant told the committee the 160 homes were "much needed", and would be on a site CBC had identified for development in the local plan. He described the area of separation between Queniborough and East Goscote as a "hot topic", but said the developer had "worked very closely with [the council's] officers to incorporate a significant area of land to the north that is to be landscaped and left free from development, providing new woodland, trees and hedges”.
Councillors voted for the scheme with 10 in favour and two against. As the application is for outline planning permission which decides only access and the number of houses to be built, the developer will have to submit more detailed proposals to the council at a later date.
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