Revised plans show bid to build 885 houses on outskirts of the city
Parish councils objecting
THE developer behind a planned huge new housing estate in the Leicestershire countryside says they have improved the plans after taking the number of properties from 750 to 885.
Warwick-based L&Q Estates wants to build the homes on land west of Leicester between the A47/ Hinckley Road and Kirby Muxloe golf club.
Planning documents submitted to Blaby District Council say the scheme would have access from a new roundabout on the main road and stretch round the back of the Old Newtonians and Leicester Forest rugby clubs and the Leicester Ivanhoe Cricket Club and Leicester Forest East Tennis Club.
As well as homes there would be a new school, shops, play areas and cycle paths.
The site is a mile or so from Kirby Muxloe Castle – a fortified mansion built for Lord Hastings, who was executed by Richard III in 1483.
Kirby Muxloe Parish Council and Leicester Forest East Parish Council are among local objectors to the plans, which are currently seeking outline planning permission.
L&Q Estates, which is one of the biggest strategic land developers in the UK, says the “Hastings Fields” site has already been allocated by the council for development.
It says its homes would include a combination of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties, with a
quarter classed as “affordable” houses.
The changes to the application include additional land to the south east of the previous site boundary that includes an extra section of land extending from the A47, wrapping around Leicester Forest Rugby Club and joining the previous site boundary.
It says the addition of the new land would create a second point of access for pedestrians and cyclists on to Hinckley Road.
Richard Edwards, group planning director at L&Q, said a revised application had been submitted to provide a more “comprehensive and cohesive development that has walking and cycling at its heart”.
He said: “We have brought in Dr Stefan Kruczkowski, a nationally recognised urban design practitioner, into the design team to help shape the development into a truly sustainable 21st century development.
“The final detailed design will be governed by a comprehensive design code to ensure the key design and movement aspects are delivered as set out in the application.
“We have submitted the new plans which further improve the design of the scheme on the site which was allocated for housing as part of Blaby’s Local Plan.
“The site area has increased from 39.11 hectares to 44.01 hectares and the number of proposed houses has increased from 750 to 885.
“A one-form entry primary school is planned along with improving walking and cycling connectivity which is really important in creating an integrated sustainable community.”
Blaby District Council said there had been 188 public comments on the plans but has a policy of not publishing them on its planning website.
However, in a letter submitted last year the clerk to neighbouring Leicester Forest East Parish Council said a new roundabout onto the busy A47 – a main route into Leicester – would cause unnecessary disruption to traffic flow.
The parish council says despite being part of the village of Kirby Muxloe there would be no access to it, and it fears there will be more traffic on the A47 as a result and more pollution.
Last December, Kirby Muxloe Parish Council wrote in to the district saying: “The development is in what is considered to be open countryside and therefore should not be given approval. We consider what appears to be a single access and egress point from the Hinckley Road to be unacceptable because of the problems of providing access at all times for emergency vehicles.
The application is expected to be discussed by Blaby District Council Planning Committee early in 2022.