Huge blow for plans to build more than 7k homes near M1 and M69
A bid for £50 million of Government cash intended to unlock the construction of more than 7,000 homes in Leicestershire has failed.
County Hall had hoped to secure the money to help towards the funding of crucial infrastructure for two huge developments near the M1 and the M69.
Leicestershire County Council has, however, been told its bid to the £5 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) has been unsuccessful. It is now having to look again at how it presses forward with the two major projects.
Some £31 million had been sought for the proposed Lutterworth East development of 2,750 homes on the other side of the M1 from the town. That would have helped to pay for the cost of an £85 million spine road through the new settlement and a new bridge over the motorway.
A further £19 million had been wanted to pay for improvements to Junction 2 of the M69 near Hinckley. That would have helped accommodate a proposed development which could include 4,500 homes and 2.8 million square feet of office, commercial and industrial premises over 1,000 acres of farmland.
The council’s head of strategic property services Jon Bennett told its cabinet that the bid had been unsuccessful, although he did not say why.
He said the strategy was to still proceed with Lutterworth East, but to seek other sources of Government cash.
Mr Bennett said the M69 improvements could get alternative public funding, but added that it was likely cash handed over by developers building the houses would be needed to do the necessary transport infrastructure work.
While the council has said the failure of the bid was unfortunate, it has been welcomed by those who fear the impact of mass housing development in the south west of the county, as well as the potential building of a huge rail freight depot near Burbage
Liberal Democrat Hinckley county councillor David Bill said: “Normally I would be decrying the lack of Government
investment in this area as this is a state of affairs to which we have all been long accustomed.
“However, in this case I very much welcome the news that this bid has been rejected.
“The overwhelming view of people in this neck of the woods is that we do not want to see the whole area between Hinckley, Burbage, Stoney Stanton and Sapcote swallowed up by further housing and industrial development.
“We do not want to see Burbage
Common threatened, and nobody wants to see even more traffic piling through Burbage and Hinckley.
“We all need some good news.
“The M69 strategic development area was unwanted and unloved by communities in this part of Leicestershire and I hope the idea is now permanently dropped.”