Car park and bungalows plan for conservation area

The development would include four semi-detached and five detached bungalows

Undeveloped and overgrown land in a conservation area could become home to nine bungalows, a car park and public space.

Applicant Derrick Hicks, of D.W. Hicks Holding Ltd, has put forward the bid to Harborough District Council (HDC) to redevelop Manor Fields in Thurnby, Leicestershire, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The site next to Grange Lane would be made up of four semi-detached and five detached bungalows and a 16-space car park for public use, if approved.

Mr Hicks said development would tidy up and create spaces to benefit the community.

The site is currently described as vacant, undeveloped and overgrown, and not accessible to the public.

It is within the Thurnby and Bushby conservation area, and is close to a number of listed buildings.

Entrance to the homes, which would be made up of three three-beds and six two-bed properties, would be via Grange Lane, which runs parallel to the site and is off the A47.

Access to the site would be via Grange Lane

There have been various planning applications submitted for the land in previous years, with the most recent including a 16-homes plan in 2014 and one in 2015 for 18 homes.

Both of these were for a mixture of terraced, semi-detached and detached homes but were later withdrawn.

In response to these, Mr Hicks said his plan had been split into three sections.

These are the housing in the centre of the development, a green area double the size of previous applications to the east, and a car park for the community to the west of the site.

The car park would provide "much-needed car parking" for a cafe, play area and sports field, the plans state.

Mr Hicks said a consultation on the proposal, which was launched last year, had gained an overall "positive" response so far, claiming many said there was a "need for bungalows in the area".

The consultation runs until 16 April, with a decision by HDC due by 12 May.