Time is running out to comment on 1,200 homes plans in the north of the Harborough district

Time is running out to comment on a plan for 1,200 new homes in Scraptoft North, in Harborough district.

The consultation for the scheme proposed for a former Prisoner of War camp, in Beeby Road, closes in the next few days.

The land is currently home to Scraptoft Golf Club and a nature reserve. Plans for the area were originally submitted in 2019, by Parker Strategic Land Ltd. Included in the scheme is a village centre with shops, health care and community centres, a care home, a nursery and a primary school, and sports facilities.

A revised Scraptoft North planning application was submitted to Harborough District Council in December 2023 by developer Parkers Strategic Land Ltd after concerns were raised by the local community and neighbouring councils. The development, if approved, is expected to be delivered in six phases.

The Scraptoft North scheme has not been without its stumbling blocks. When the original 2019 application was submitted, additional checks were made on the site which revealed asbestos was present in all 13 areas checked at the time. The material is associated with the prisoner of war camp which used to occupy the site.

The mineral, which is typically found in buildings which predate the year 2000, can cause a number of serious illnesses, including lung cancer, if breathed in. Because of the health risks, the use of asbestos in construction was banned in 1999. However, the UK Health Security Agency said around 5,000 people still die every year because of it.

When asbestos was discovered at the site, the archaeological investigation was stopped to protect workers and to determine the level of the mineral. Further survey work and testing then took place on the area, and confirmed that contamination was widespread.

In the updated application, Parker Strategic Land has suggested the Section 106 contributions – money paid by developers to improve local services and mitigate against the needs of more people living in the area – associated with the scheme should be reduced, claiming there are currently ‘challenges’ to the ‘financial viability’ of the scheme and increased ‘commercial risk to the developer’ because of the asbestos. The applicant requested this drop from £26 million to £3.3 million.

An environment statement written on behalf of the developers describes how the contaminated material would be removed from land set to be developed and moved to the southern part of the site where asbestos is already present. That land would then be ‘capped’ – a process which involves placing a cover made, for example, of asphalt or concrete, over the asbestos – to ensure it is safely sealed.

This area would then be turned into a public open space. This ensures the removal of the asbestos from residential gardens and pathways and, while it would be kept onsite, local residents would not be at risk of exposure to it, as it would be contained within the capped open space, the developer added.

Planning documents show numerous consultation responses raised concerns about the original proposal, including comments from local residents and nearby parish councils. Additional technical work undertaken by the applicant to address these, and an updated planning application pack was submitted back to the council at the end of 2023.

The developer also said the inclusion of affordable housing would further impact the financial viability of the scheme. Typically, large housing developments are expected to include a certain per cent of affordable housing in addition to homes to be sold at market prices. In this case, this would have been some 40 per cent of the homes. However, the applicant has suggested the reduced income from housing sales would have to come out of the money proposed Section 106 contributions and it was at the council’s discretion whether it wants to proceed down that route.

Thurnby and Bushby Parish Council have put in an objection to the updated application. The parish council said: “The parish council has major concerns that the reduced Section 106 contribution would mean that many of the measures designed to mitigate the impact of the development on the wider area, including Thurnby and Bushby, would not be implemented. In particular, both the Parish Council and Leicestershire County Council, as the Highways Authority, recognise that there would be a need to address traffic flows on Station Road and at its junction with Uppingham Road.”

A local resident was concerned as to whether the infrastructure would cope with the additional number of homes, particularly the doctors surgery. They said: “The medical facilities for the area are already stretched to the limit and an extra – estimate – 5,000 patients would create a crisis situation. Unless a medical centre can be built and staffed in advance then I can’t see how such a development could be considered safe or viable”.

Another resident, living on the adjacent Beeby Road, said they had four main concerns with the plan. They said: “[Firstly] the asbestos found on site and the proposed remedy. We live in close proximity to the site and have concerns about the risk any disturbance to this could pose to our health.

“[Secondly] the traffic impact. There is a proposed exit onto Beeby road and we are concerned that at the current speed limit outside our property, having a significant increase in the volume of traffic at 60mph is dangerous. We would like to see the speed limit reduced until past our properties or the exit onto Beeby road revisited. We would also like to see pavements included given we currently have to walk on this road to access the village.”

They added: “[Thirdly], the removal of mature trees that provide excellent screening along Beeby road. It appears these are being removed and this impacts privacy to us and a potential significant increase in light and noise pollution due to natural screening this offers.

“[Fourthly], given there are four properties in close proximity to this development on Beeby Road, I wondered why the developer has not considered what I believe will be a significant detrimental impact to our views at the front of our property. I would like to understand why the impact has not been assessed given there is a cluster of properties proposed directly opposite our properties. I would like this to be reviewed as if our views our significantly impacted I again question the removal of the mature trees and the proximity of the homes being built near our properties”.

Another commenter raised concerns about the asbestos risk. They said: “Depending on prevailing weather and wind, asbestos dust could be spread to the entire surrounding area. Low risk is not the same as no risk. How many damaged lungs and deaths from cancer is considered an acceptable sacrifice? Will there be regular independent air quality testing? What will happen if asbestos dust is detected? Will there be liability insurance extending for 50 years after the activity?”

When plans were submitted in 2019, Adrian Lott, managing director of Parker Strategic Land, said: “We are pleased to be bringing the Scraptoft proposals forward, in partnership with the landowners, local councils and residents to create the right plan for the local community.

“I am particularly proud of the plans for a new primary school, which will improve the local education offering.”

The golf club is set to be relocated to Houghton on the Hill. A planning application for the relocation was given the go-ahead in August 2022.

The consultation can be found on Harborough District Council’s website.