Proposal for 350 new homes clears planning hurdle

Fields between Blaby and Countesthorpe are being eyed up by a developer

A bid to build hundreds of new homes to link two Leicestershire communities has cleared its first hurdle.

A "screening opinion" - which is required to decide if an environmental impact assessment would be required as part of a planning application - had been made for farmland separating Blaby to the north and Countesthorpe to the south.

Blaby District Council has ruled that no assessment is needed for the 350-home development proposed at Keepers Farm, east of Winchester Road.

Applicant Woods Hardwick Planning Ltd can now ready an outline application for its plans which, if approved, would connect to both existing settlements.

According to documents submitted to the council, the housing would also include an 8.47 hectare country park, public footpaths and landscaping, and up to 88 of the homes would be classed as “affordable”.

It added the area was “well placed to absorb the impact of additional growth”.

Plans show the area to de developed touching on to the two existing settlements

Ruling no assessment would be required, the Local Democracy Reporting Service stated the council said the loss of agricultural land would be considered as part of the planning process.

Consultee Natural England said significant effects on nature conservation sites or landscapes were “unlikely”.

Blaby Parish Council said it was “disappointed” while Countesthorpe Parish Council said it strongly recommended there should be an environmental assessment carried out.

It added another proposed development of up to 200 homes at Blaby Golf Range, opposite the site in question, “must be assessed” as the impact of 550 houses was “significant”.