Snell’s Nook science park decision is put on hold over traffic concerns
A DECISION on an outline application for a new science park, on a 100-acre farmland site next to junction 23 of the M1 and Snell’s Nook Lane, has been put on hold.
Charnwood Borough Council’s planning committee discussed the application from Wilson Bowden Developments, over traffic access points to the site, one off the A512 and two off Snell’s Nook Lane itself.
The eventual plans are for a multi-million pound investment, which would provide more than 960,000 sq ft of employment space.
As well as space for new businesses there could be a central hub area featuring office space for smaller start-up and grow-on businesses, as well as a 100-bedroom hotel and conference facilities, shops such as a convenience store, hairdressers, florists and newsagents and space for banks, restaurants, cafes and maybe a pub.
There could also be a nursery and gym. The meeting last week heard councillor and residents’ concerns that the application would create traffic problems along Snell’s Nook Lane and the Priory crossroads at Nanpantan.
There were also fears that although the plan was for a science-based park, it would instead be used as an industrial park and retail site, attracting custom from motorway drivers.
However, council officers who recommended the plan to be accepted, told the committee members that the traffic issues had been investigated thoroughly and also there would be legal constraints as to the use of the site.
The officers also told councillors that this was just an outline application and the details relating to appearance, landscaping, layout and scale would, if the borough councillors so decided, could come back for council debate.
Guest speaker, Mr Wade, speaking at the meeting, aired concerns for residents saying that traffic would “undoubtedly increase at the Priory crossroads” which was already: “Over capacity.”
He also highlighted building on open countryside saying: “Are we really intent on concreting every piece of countryside around junction 23?”
After a lengthy debate councillors, owing to their concerns over the traffic issues, found themselves unable to agree over a decision as to whether they reject, accept, or defer, the plan,
And, in an unusual move, David Ward, planning director of Wilson Bowden Developments, was asked by the committee in the middle of the debate, if he could share his thoughts with them having heard their concerns.
He told the committee that had heard the concerns about the two access points on Snell’s Nook Lane and added: “I am more than happy, given what I’ve heard, to take a deferral in the recognition that we could go away and consider an alternative proposal that brings back a variation to the scheme, that perhaps has only one access onto Snell’s Nook Lane.
“I think that’s the very best I can do because I have heard, I have seen, all of the empirical evidence that demonstrates that the accesses as shown on to Snell’s Nook Lane are satisfactory.”
Councillors voted to defer the plan for further investigation into the option for one access.