Residents’ joy after housing scheme rejected

RESIDENTS rejoiced after a planning application to build 66 new homes in Rearsby was rejected by Charnwood Borough Council.

The application was rejected unanimously by members of the planning committee, at the meeting held on Thursday, October 12.

It was a resubmission of a previous application that was refused by the council in 2015, and planning officers said that three of the reasons for refusal given two years ago could no longer be substantiated.

The council received a petition letter signed by 420 households prior to the meeting - against the building of new homes on land off Melton Road in Rearsby.

The council refused the application for several reasons. These included: • It was not deemed a sustainable location for new housing growth.

• The proposal was seen as harmful because of its scale, nature and location to the rural landscape.

• It does not make effective used of brownfield land and would result in the loss of good quality agricultural land.

• It would destroy the character and setting of Rearsby Conservation Area because of its overall scale and location.

Rearsby resident Roderick Axon spoke against the application and said that if given the green light it would “ruin the beautiful area” and that it would destroy the “uniqueness” and “identity” of Rearsby and nearby village East Goscote.

Coun Margaret Smidowicz said: “I can’t see anything positive about this. I think it would be a criminal act to allow this to be approved.”

Coun Mark Lowe said: “It is always sad when the applicant can’t give the time to even turn up to argue with us.

“I think they didn’t turn up because they always knew that it was going to be refused. And in that case it is another waste of our time.”

The planning application number is P/16/1833/2.