Councillors fail to agree to 160 homes in Desford
Applications will return to future meeting possibly with changes
COUNCILLORS have opposed plans for 80 homes outside of Desford.
The planning committee at Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council said that the proposal for land off Barns Way and Leicester Lane would cause “harm to countryside”.
The councillors said they were minded to refuse the application giving the developers, Rosconn Strategic Land, an opportunity to address the concerns of committee members prior to the next planning meeting.
Members cannot refuse an application in the first instance when an officer has recommended it for approval. The development would include 32 affordable dwellings with 24 for social rent and eight intermediate homes for shared ownership, if all 80 of the properties were built.
It would be mostly two-storey housing, with some two and a half storey units to denote the site entrance and provide a gateway feature into Desford.
A number of single storey bungalows would be provided along the eastern edge.
A new junction would be created on Barns Way, to allow vehicle, cycle and pedestrian access to the 3.46 hectare site, which is opposite Bosworth Academy.
The proposal includes open space and children’s play facilities (LEAP) including planting, pedestrian/cycle links around the edge of the site connecting in to existing footpaths.
Parking would mainly be provided on plot, within driveways to the front or side of properties.
Desford Parish Council raised no objections but asked that the right of way to Barns Charity Fields be maintained and be wide enough for farm vehicles and that there should be a locked gate at each end of the access to prevent resident parking.
West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group said that the development is likely to generate an increase in population of 192 patients, leading to additional demands on Desford and Ratby surgeries.
Just to the south of the site on the other side of Leicester Lane is Bosworth Academy, which recently applied to build an artificial grass sports pitch on part of its playing fields.
The facility would be equipped with eight 15 metre LED floodlights and areas of ball stop fencing, along with a portable goals storage space and a store for maintenance kit.
Plans filed with the borough council said the pitch would provide a venue for sports teams within the wider community as well as for the school.