Market Harborough: Developer seeks to drop planned bus link road

MP Neil O'Brien has urged the council to refuse the proposed changes to the existing plans

Developers have applied to drop a proposed bus link road serving a large estate on the edge of a Leicestershire town.

Davidsons Developments Ltd agreed to build the road when it was given planning permission for the estate off Kettering Road in Market Harborough.

However, the firm has now said it wants to replace it with a footpath and cycleway.

Harborough District Council is considering the proposed change.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the developer sought to make changes to the estate partway through construction.

In documents lodged with the council, Davidsons said the change was needed for maintaining ease of movement for existing and future residents and to limit the number of extra vehicles through the estate.

Harborough MP Neil O'Brien has urged the council to reject the latest planning application.

New layouts

In a post on social media, he said: "As part of the original planning consent, the developer promised to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds to subsidise a bus route to loop through the estate.

"The plan was to build up bus use in the new estate and provide a service for new residents.

"But now that the development is partway through construction, the developer has now put in an application to the council to significantly reduce the scheme and axe the bus loop."

Davidsons' latest application also seeks new layouts to a proposed school serving the estate, its local centre, sports pitch and play areas.

The LDRS has approached Davidsons for comment.