Construction begins on major new Leicestershire garden village

Developers said more than half of the Broadnook site would remain as green space

Construction work is under way on a new garden village near Leicester.

The new suburb, between Birstall and Rothley, will have 1,950 homes, a village centre with a supermarket and primary school, Charnwood Borough Council said.

A 9ft-tall (3m) Hollywood-style sign spelling out the village's name, Broadnook, has been installed to mark the beginning of the work..

Developers said £32m was being invested to build the village next to the A46.

The Hollywood-style sign has been created using 9ft-high steel letters

Davidsons Homes and Cora Homes said the finished community would also include car-free zones, cycle paths, a village square, community nursery, allotments and open green spaces, as well as areas for businesses.

Mayor of Charnwood, Margaret Smidowicz, said: "This thoughtful, innovative design offers a sense of place, encapsulating the heritage of the surrounding area but considers the long-term future for the new community as it develops."

The scheme was approved by Charnwood Borough Council in 2020.

At the time objectors raised concerns that it would swallow up parts of Leicester's green belt and would add extra traffic to the nearby A46 and A6.

The developers said more than 50% of the site would be kept as green space including parks, allotments, play areas, sports pitches.