12 plans to watch out for in 2018
IN recent years Hinckley has been transformed by large scale developments and 2018 looks set to continue the trend.
Since opening in 2015 The Crescent has become a hub of retail and entertainment in the town featuring shops, restaurants and Hinckley’s cinema.
Looking ahead, developments around the town, and beyond, continue apace with planning applications lodged, or anticipated, for new homes, shops, and industry that will provide jobs and homes for years to come.
The new tenants of Castle Street’s former Co-op store, Cut Price Suites, announced their plans to relocate to the town saying: “We are local people and we know Hinckley well and can see the town is growing and it is looking very positive.”
So as Cut Price Suites prepare to open their doors, here are some of the developments in Hinckley, and beyond, to keep an eye on in 2018.
Cut Price Suites, Castle Street,
Hinckley Announced in December,the former Co-op building is finally being brought back into use by a retailer.
Family-owned Cut Price Suites announced a relocation to Hinckley from Leicester moving their bricks and mortar sales and warehousing operations to the town.
The announcement comes as a boost after nearly two years of uncertainty over the site vacated by Co-op
Aldi, Holliers Walk, Hinckley Plans have been lodged for a new Aldi on a former factory site in the town.
The site measures 9,227sq/ft and, if plans are approved, will feature new store and car 111 space car park.
An intention to develop the site was revealed by the budget retailer in August and public events were held showing plans to local residents.
Welcomed by both Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and Hinckley BID, residents have embraced a supermarket they can walk to instead of driving to the nearest Aldi which is on the A5.
The retailer has said there are no plans to close its existing store and sees the new site as an expansion, rather than a replacement.
Lidl, Coventry Road, Hinckley Unlike the Aldi plans, Lidl’s proposed development on the old HJ Hall site is part of a relocation programme.
The retailer’s current store on Hawley Road will close once the new site opens after the company site it had outgrown its home of 11 years.
Formerly the home of the HJ Hall sock factory, the 2.25 acre site was on sale for a freehold price of £1.5million.
Bulldozers moved onto the site in September and cleared the old factory in time for Christmas.
Staff are expected to move across town from the old store but 10 new jobs are also anticipated in the development.
Coventry Road homes Still in an early phase, outline planning permission has been sought to build 42 homes just a few doors down from the proposed Lidl site.
Currently home to an empty building formerly occupied by National Grid, now Cadent, the site is sur- rounded by new housing developments by Redrow Homes.
Sandwiched between Clarendon Park and Short Way, the building has been vacant for three years.
On the face of it an ideal site for new homes however its future is currently unknown.
Employment park and rail freight
terminal, Burbage Bigger than Hinckley itself, this 780 acre scheme could affect everybody
living in borough. With plans expected to be lodged at some time this year, the scheme will doubtless draw a lot of discussion.
If approved it would effectively fill in swathes of green fields, creating an urban corridor linking Hinckley with outlying villages.
The scale of the project is such that the proposal will go straight for government approval with local councils merely being consulted.
Plans first seen by the Hinckley Times in 2016 revealed two 390 acre sites on either side of the M69 labelled Hinckley East and Hinckley West.
As well as large distribution warehouses, the plans could include a massive freight terminal and a new junction for the M69 at Sapcote.
Barwell SUE Negotiations are thought to be nearing an end over the 2,500 home scheme on farmland in Barwell.
Developers and planners are currently hammering out details of contributions developers should make towards community infrastructure.
Despite local opposition, plans for the SUE were approved in March 2015 subject to the satisfactory conclusion of the S.106 negotiations.
Around 6.2 hectares of employment land are also expected to be developed at the site.
Earl Shilton SUE In the pipeline since 2009, progress on this development has stalled more times than cars entering Watery Gate Lane.
The 1,600 home plan hit the buffers again last week with developers saying an affordable homes allocation was not viable.
Council representatives disagreed saying their own viability study suggests otherwise.
As with Barwell SUE, heavy local opposition to this scheme abounds and those in the area opposed to the plan will be hoping an agreement fails to materialise. HORIBA MIRA Technology
Institute With the development of electric and driverless cars gathering pace, HORIBA MIRA are at the forefront of transport evolution.
At its site off the A5 in Hinckley, construction is underway at the Mira Technology Park of a £9.5 million Technology Insitute.
In collaboration with education institutions from Leicestershire, Coventry and Warwickshire, it is anticipated the centre will become a bespoke skills centre training the engineers of the future.
The developemnt comes after research indicated the future skills needed to keep the UK automotive industry competitive on a global scale
George Gillespie, CEO at HORIBA MIRA, said: “The MIRA Technology Institute is a unique solution that has been created to address a very real problem the UK automotive sector is facing. Importantly, it is well aligned with the government’s new Industrial Strategy. It will be a huge asset to MIRA Technology Park but we hope its benefits will be felt throughout the UK auto sector and beyond.”
Travelodge, Coventry Road, Hinckley Another scheme in the very early days, the budget hotel chain has entered a bid to develop the former Leisure Centre site in Hinckley.
Around half a dozen parties have expressed interest in the 3.4 acre plot which has been vacant since the old leisure centre was demolished last year.
Bids are currently under consideration by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council with a decision expected in the near future.
The hotel chain admitted it was looking for locations in Hinckley and said it was keen to partner the council to support local generation, create jobs and boost the local economy.
Rival bids are thought to comprise of plans for housing, commercial and leisure schemes.
Many have called for the site to be turned into a car park to relieve strain on local roads.
Fosse Park A multi-million expansion at the shopping centre was given the green light towards the end of last year.
Due to be built on the former Everards brewery site next to existing stores, big name stores have already signed up to move in once work is complete.
The deal means plans for a 90,000 sq ft three-storey Next store as well as