Dozens of concerns have emerged over plans to build homes in a Leicestershire village. Opponents claim the application for land off Sharnford’s Butler Close would put “undue strain” on the village’s services.
The application, from D Ward, looks to build 19 new homes in the village which is east of Hinckley. If approved, the development would see the 19 homes built on “a small redundant parcel of grassland” accessed off Butler Close, in the southern part of Sharnford.
The proposal, which has been submitted to Blaby District Council (BDC), includes 14 market and five affordable homes. So far, 28 public comments have been made about the scheme, with all bar one of them opposed to the plan.
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In their plans, the applicant said the homes would include six, two-bed, 10 three-bed, and three four-bed properties. One home would be designated as an accessible category, meaning it would be suitable for people with limited mobility and wheelchair users. The house types would be a mixture of detached, semi-detached, and terraced.
Documents note the development would be accessed from the end of the turning head on Butler Close. The existing public right of way which cuts across the middle of the site would be retained.
However, Sharnford Parish Council is among those against the development, claiming it would have adverse impacts on local infrastructure, community amenities, and environmental sustainability. It said it believed if the development were approved, it would “significantly place undue strain on existing resources and compromise the quality of life for residents”.
The parish council said Sharnford had existing concerns about inadequate drainage and sewerage systems in the area. It said increasing housing density in the location would pose a serious risk of flooding, potentially leading to both property damage and public health hazards, due to overflow issues. The concerns have led them to call on BDC to carry out “a comprehensive review” of flooding and sewerage systems before the scheme gets the green light.
Worries about lack of infrastructure and traffic have also been raised by Sharnford Parish Council. It claimed the village lacked essential services as is and would struggle with more residents. It said congestion would be “exacerbated” due to the lack of bus services available too, causing safety risks in the village.
Archaeologists at Leicestershire County Council were also consulted about the scheme. They said that records indicated that the development site was within an area of archaeological interest, therefore there was “a likelihood that buried archaeological remains would be affected by the proposals and further evaluation was required in order to assess the character, quality and extent of those remains”. They requested that an archaeological assessment of the site should be carried out prior to any decision being made on the application.
The deadline for public comments closed on Friday, January 3. A decision is due to be made on the plans by Monday, February 10.
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