Debate date set for Leicestershire golf course homes plan amid petitions
Petitions against hundreds of homes on a Leicestershire golf course are set to be debated by officials. Thousands have signed the petitions which oppose the major proposals for Enderby Golf Course and part of the adjacent Carlton Park site.
In all, up to 800 homes are proposed for the sites as part of Blaby District Council's (BDC) Local Plan - a document that outlines the future development of an area, including what can and cannot be built. However, strong opposition totalling more than 5,000 signatures has been put before BDC to halt the plans.
Local campaign group Protect Enderby and Narborough Green Spaces (PENGS) is among those opposed. It said: "This whole area has significant importance to local and nonlocal residents for both physical and mental wellbeing. This accessible green space has been used and enjoyed by residents and non-residents for many decades, for recreational and leisure purposes."
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If approved, BDC has said the development would be called Hayes Gardens, and would also include public open space, play areas, community facilities and parkland. Improvements to local roads are also on the cards, with the council saying the changes could improve connectivity in the area and ease existing congestion.
The golf course is jointly owned by the council and Santander, and is currently still open to the public for the sport. However, a website set up to promote the scheme says it is one of five such golf courses in the district, with others “a short drive” away, which has led to the council considering it for other uses.
Carlton Park is owned solely by Santander which has described the land being considered under the scheme as “surplus”. Office buildings one to five on the site, which are occupied by Santander, Watches of Switzerland and Honeywell, would remain operational under the proposals, according to a spokesperson. Other neighbouring buildings, such as the David Lloyd gym, Busy Bees nursery, data centres and ambulance depot are not included within the plan’s boundaries and would not be impacted, they added.
Several consultation events have already taken place on the plans on behalf of the landowners, with BDC describing the events as "largely constructive" with over 400 comments submitted. However, PENGS says the petitions show clear strong opposition to the scheme.
The group said: "There has of yet been no written information from the consultation of 400 received feedback forms by BDC to state what the level of feeling was towards this proposal. This pales into insignificance with the 3095 resident’s objections and the 2146 from the Golf Course petition."
Now, the two petitions will be debated by BDC on Tuesday (January 28). No decisions will be made about the land being included in the local plan at the full council meeting, while the petitions themselves would be referred to relevant departments.
Councillor Terry Richardson, leader of Blaby District Council, said: “We are always pleased to see our communities engaged in what we’re doing as a council and our plans for growth to support our expanding population. We have received two petitions recently relating to draft proposals for land at Carlton Park and Enderby Golf Course, known as Hayes Gardens.
“In line with our constitution both petitions will be presented to full council. We know there are some strong feelings behind the petitions. While councillors will debate the matter, this meeting will not see decisions made about land included in the local plan, or the future of district council facilities and green spaces. After the debates, the petitions will be referred to relevant departments; planning and assets.”
If the proposal is included in the area's local plan, and that plan is then approved by the Government's Planning Inspectorate, a planning application for the scheme would need to be submitted and approved by the council before any work could begin. The local plan is expected to be approved by the Inspectorate in late 2025 and would then be adopted by the council in March 2026.
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