** LATEST NEWS ** More than 200 objections were submitted to Charnwood before the consultation closed at the end of November, including those from MP Edward Argar and Borough & County Councillor James Poland. The application will be assessed against these objections in the coming months.
The planning application for 68 houses off Old Gate Road, submitted on 19th August 2022, is at risk of being approved as Charnwood has no confirmed 5-year land supply. The PC working group believes we have a fighting chance of successfully overturning this application, but only if we can gain the support of a large majority of villagers. It is important to note that previous objections we have made to the Charnwood Local Plan are ignored – entirely fresh objections must be made to challenge this new application. The full application can be viewed on the Charnwood planning portal using reference P/22/1539/2 or by clicking here.
How to object:
Please send in a different objection letter or email for each adult in your household. The more objections that are raised, the more notice the councillors will take and objections do not need to be lengthy essays! Please submit your own comments on particular issues that you feel strongly about as well as any of the example grounds below. Page 2 of this notification describes valid planning issues which can be raised. All objections must be received by Thursday 10th November.
You must include the planning application number P/22/1539/2 and your name and address with your objection.
By email: development.control@charnwood.gov.uk
By post: Planning Services, Charnwood Borough Council, Southfield Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 2TN
Example grounds for objecting
- The most important issue is that of sustainability. The planned development is not sustainable as it is reliant on car travel. There is no bus service and the majority of services/facilities that people need on a day to day basis are too far away.
- 68 new homes represent a near 30% increase in the size of the village with no new facilities proposed, indeed Bellway have not undertaken any public consultation on this application.
- The development will potentially generate an extra 140 cars plus service vehicles. The impact on the village roads and junctions has been ignored.
- The site is on higher ground and will change the landscape, environment and character of the village. Even Bellway’s own Landscape and Visual Appraisal states that the development would cause “inevitable adverse effects both in visual and landscape terms”. The application claims that there is no planning history on this site, so does not refer to a previous application P/91/0397/2 which was refused.
- The plan shows a wildlife corridor to be protected but it will be destroyed by the access.
- The development is contrary to the existing local plan and Neighbourhood Plan as it lies outside the settlement boundary.
More detail is accessible via the links below and on the document to be delivered to all residents from mid-October.
You can view the following documents for further information:
The Bellway transport statement and our review
The Bellway Landscape appraisal and our review
The Charnwood Settlement Hierarchy report and our review
The Parish Council objection plus the appendix of distances from the site
to services and facilities
A Leicester Mercury article focusing on increased flood risk
In addition to sending objections, please can you also help by supporting our Crowdfunding effort, which will help pay for a professional planning consultant to help with the Parish Council’s formal objection.
For the history of this planning application, please click here.