More houses planned
Road safety and flooding fears
A NEW application to build an extra 210 homes on land off Tickow Lane and its junction with the main Ashby Road in Shepshed, has seen concerns over road safety and flooding raised.
The application from Barwood Development Securities Ltd and Roythornes Trustees Ltd, is to the south of the William Davis site, which has already been granted outline planning permission for 380 homes.
A statement from the developers states: “The proposals for land off Ashby Road West, Shepshed would create a high quality residential development with a strong sense of identity, integrated sensitively into the south-western edge of the settlement.
“The development would be an attractive place to live, set within a generous and attractive network of public open spaces.
“The valuable landscape and ecological assets would be retained and strengthened - including the stream corridor and the mature woodland edges - to provide a strong green context for the well-being of residents.
“The development would provide homes to suit the needs of the local community, including affordable housing, and is well located with sustainable movement links connecting to local amenities in Shepshed town centre.
“An opportunity exists to provide much needed homes on this highly sustainable site, offering good access to existing jobs, services and facilities including health, education, shops, leisure and open space.”
However local councillors Christine Radford and Joan Tassell have raised concerns over road safety with the two proposed road access to the site off Tickow Lane and off Ashby Road West (A512), possible flooding and protection over the adjacent White Horse Wood.
In a joint statement they say: “The access to the site from Ashby Road, (A512) is in an extremely dangerous position.
Although they are proposing to use an existing gateway which was only used by an old single property, it is at the bottom of a blind hill and just where the 40mph speed limit changes to 50mph (as of 20/01/2020).
“The access is not in a suitable position to take the amount of traffic generated from this development.
“The second entrance onto Tickow Lane is too near to a very narrow railway bridge. The access will not give good enough views of the road coming from the Shepshed direction because of the brick pillars to the bridge.
“This road is now being used as a by-pass for Shepshed with traffic travelling far in excess of the speed limit.
“Before any more development takes place this country lane needs upgrading.
“There have been several accidents at the cross roads of Tickow Lane, Charley Road and Ashby Road, because of poor visibility and it still remains an accident black spot.
“There is a small watercourse running through this site, which makes the land a flood risk. Local residents in the past have warned developers about building on flood land only to be ignored and it has been to the developers’ cost when they have started to build.
“White Horse Wood. This is a very old wood, if this is granted will there be any steps taken to protect this area.
“Local residents value this space and would not like to see it decimated.”
The application will be decided by Charnwood Borough Council’s planning committee at a future date.