Sutton Bonington
VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT TO BE REVIEWED. A Village Design Statement for Diseworth prepare 22 years ago is to be reviewed in view of its age, says North West Leicestershire District Council.
Long Whatton and Diseworth Parish Council have reviewed the Statement and it is now to be the subject of consultation.
In the Statement residents offered views as to why they liked Diseworth, saying they valued most the intimate scale of the village, the relaxing environment, the survival of the village as a working agricultural community, Rural proximity - ease of access to open countryside, the countryside setting viewed from surrounding hills, and the survival of many old buildings which emphasise the variety of vernacular architecture in the village.
The consultation question now being put forward is asking if residents think that these views are still relevant. Are there any other factors which are valued?
The consultation also looked at what people liked the least about the village, with through traffic, encroachment on open land, landscape urbanisation - e.g. garden design with non-indigenous trees, background noise from outside the village from the airport, major road networks, day to day and race track, pollution of various kinds, for instance of the brook, and from road and air traffic, new houses which are out of scale with the older properties - so-called “executive” houses rather than “cottages”, large garages which are obtrusive, that is, in front of the houses they serve.
The design statement looked at ways to address both positive and negative features from a planning perspective, saying planning matters could be addressed at two levels, with matters to be addressed through local and national planning and design statements.
The Statement acknowledged that Diseworth was by no means the only village which faces the tensions caused by increases in traffic of all kinds; by the demand for large increases in housing in rural areas; or by the effects of economic changes, whereby agriculture requires a tiny workforce compared with the past, but still to a large extent determines the quality of the environment in which such villages are set. National issues are set against the everyday requirement to make sound planning decisions which respect and reflect the architectural and environmental traditions of the area in general, and of Diseworth (in this instance) in particular.
The statement was endorsed by Long Whatton and Diseworth Parish Council.
The purpose of the Village Design Statement ( VDS) was to inform planning proposals and decisions so as to ensure the effective and successful management of change on whatever scale, and as such it sets out to provide guidance for those individuals and organisations seeking to initiate change and development in and around the village, by identifying good quality in both traditional and modern developments and it is intended to supplement with local detail the Local Plan, which was adopted by North West Leicestershire District Council in November 2017.
It is accepted that the existence of a sound, well researched Village Design Statement is seen as an aid to improving the quality of planning decisions.
As a small farming village, close to a major airport and with many links to major arterial roads it has survived with relatively little change, particularly in recent years. There is, however, a build-up of pressure on the road system and increasing expansions of the Airport and surrounding green field sites.
VILLAGE YARD SALE.
Residents in Sutton Bonington have been given the opportunity to have a ‘clear out’ at home this coming weekend thanks to a village Yard Sale taking place this Sunday (August 30) between 11am and 2pm.
A number of addresses in the village will welcome visitors on the look out for bargains as the occupiers put on show the goods they no longer need and wish to sell.
Proceeds from the days activities will go to the Primary School PTA. A list of the properties selling items at 50p are obtained from the Post Office, the Pasture Lane Stores or the Soar Trading Company at Market Place Kegworth.