Districts must find room for 19k more homes, but where?
CITY OVERSPILL
THE demand for homes has been causing national and local government a headache for years.
The issue shows no signs of going away, as local authorities are facing housing targets for years to come.
Leicester alone was asked to find the space for 39,400 more homes between 2020 and 2036.
Less than two years in, the city says it does not have enough space to build them all and so 18,700 have been taken off its targets and shared out among the Leicestershire districts instead.
The districts may have space, but not always have the services, schools and transport networks to sustain the new residents.
All councils produce a local plan, which sets out where future homes could be built.
Possible development sites are submitted to councils, which have a duty to consider them for building. Not all will be approved.
All developments must go through the normal planning process.
Below is a breakdown of the number of homes each district in Leicestershire is being expected to take from the city - and a look at how each area might go about making up the city’s shortfall:
BLABY
The district is taking the biggest share of the city’s shortfall at 5,536 more homes - and the district council is currently in the process of creating a new local plan.
However, land to the west of Stoney Stanton has already been identified as an area which could take 5,000 homes over the course of 11 to 15 years.
It is expected the development would come with its own primary and secondary schools, GP surgery and shops.
The land, near Junction 2 of the M69, is owned by Leicestershire County Council.
NORTH WEST LEICESTERSHIRE
The district is down to take the second highest chunk of the city’s shortfall at 5,024 homes, which almost doubles its overall target to 10,948 by 2036.
The council has asked residents whether they would support a new town or village of about 4,740 houses to the south west of East Midlands Airport.
A 316-acre swathe of land, currently made up of two farms, has been suggested.
POSSIBILITIES
HINCKLEY AND BOSWORTH
The borough has taken 2,992 off the city’s target, which has given it a target of building 10,544 homes by 2036.
The possibility of a 3,500-home project to the south of Burbage was submitted to the council in its most recent evaluation of potential development land, published in 2020.
The development would stretch from the south of the M69 almost to the B4114 and would be developed over 11 to 15 years, according to the plans.
HARBOROUGH
The district will now be required
to build 1,968 more homes, taking its total to 10,512. A new local plan is being compiled, with a timetable to produce the document set out this month.
There are no updated details as to where housing might go. However, in 2020 the council approved plans for a 2,750-home development on 550 acres of farmland to the East of Lutterworth, which will take the total down by more than a quarter.
Thorpebury would have three primary schools, a secondary, shops and community facilities.
CHARNWOOD
The borough already had the highest original housing target of all the districts in Leicestershire at 17,776 and as a result has not been asked to take on as many homes from the city, with a 1,248 increase.
This will still take the number of homes required in the district to 19,024 before 2036.
Charnwood is also in the process of drawing up a new plan. Documents submitted to government inspectors, showed the possibility of a 4,500-home development near Thurmaston.
MELTON
The borough needs to find room for 1,104 extra homes, taking its target to 4,800.
The council’s most recent plans in 2019 set out a 1,393-home development for Melton Airfield over at least 15 years. The council has already said this will need to be a “very longterm” project as the site is not currently near any other settlements.
OADBY AND WIGSTON
The borough will have the smallest share of the redistributed housing at 1,008, giving it a 2036 target to build 3,840 homes.
The district has already said it will not be likely to provide large strategic development sites.
Instead, council documents from last year show 205 homes could be built within Oadby and Wigston, among other small projects.
Possible development sites are submitted to councils, which have a duty to consider them for building