Golf course homes plan rejected by council

Blaby Golf Centre is home to an adventure golf, pitch and putt and nine-hole golf course

Plans for 200 homes on a golf course in Leicestershire have been rejected by councillors.

Members of Blaby District Council's planning committee refused permission for most of Blaby Golf Centre to be developed when they met to discuss the scheme on Thursday.

There were 1,765 objections made against the proposal, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

Developer Hallam Land Management said the scheme, off Lutterworth Road, would provide much-needed housing in the area.

Concerns raised about the plan included the pressure the new homes could place on local services, including doctors and schools.

Other objections included the loss of green space and fears about increased road congestion.

'Harmful to the area'

Council officers had recommended the application be refused with a report saying it would "result in the regrettable loss" of the golf centre and, by extension, create a "significant deficit" in recreational provision in the district.

The report also said the loss of green space was "considered to be inherently harmful", and proposals to relocate existing businesses based at the centre, including a dance school, gym, taxi rank, boutique and beauty salon, were not adequate.

Planning committee chairman Lee Breckon said: "Refusing a planning application is a decision we do not take lightly.

"We have a responsibility to ensure a sufficient housing supply and under national guidelines are generally required to approve new schemes.

"However, in this case we agreed with officers that the scheme would be harmful to the local area rather than beneficial.

"Our main concerns were the loss of Green Wedge as well as the loss of premises for several small businesses in the local area. We felt the overall harms posed by the scheme were strong enough for us to reject the application."