Angry residents suspect a major housebuilder is aiming to build a big new estate on their doorsteps in Harborough

“We are on red alert and we will be watching you," says campaigner
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Angry residents suspect a major housebuilder is aiming to build a big new estate on their doorsteps in Market Harborough.

They have accused David Wilson Homes (DWH) of trying to push through the feared scheme “under the radar”.

The construction company insists that “if further development was a possibility this would be subject to a new planning application”.

Angry residents suspect a major housebuilder is aiming to build a big new estate on their doorsteps in Market Harborough.Angry residents suspect a major housebuilder is aiming to build a big new estate on their doorsteps in Market Harborough.
Angry residents suspect a major housebuilder is aiming to build a big new estate on their doorsteps in Market Harborough.

But local people are up in arms as they also continue to protest about the controversial 128-home Burnmill Farm site under way at the top of Kingston Way.

Gwen Compton, 58, of Kingston Way, told the Harborough Mail: “We have fought to reduce and mitigate the overwhelming impact of the Burnmill Farm project on our part of town since last summer.

“We have had to fight tooth and nail in an attempt to keep David Wilson on the straight and narrow.

“Now we all suspect that the company wants to create a sprawling new estate on our front doorsteps.”

The local businesswoman added: “They have put forward a plan demanding that it retains land off Cherry Tree Drive near here for access.

“That strongly suggests to us that David Wilson is already plotting to build new houses there.

“And they are trying to sneak it under the radar as most of us are seriously distracted by the Covid-19 onslaught.”

An active member of the Burnmill Farm Action Group, Gwen said any new developments would spell disaster for fed-up householders.

“We simply cannot sustain any more housing here.

“More houses means more people means a lot more cars,” she added.

“We are already being over-run by a fleet of huge trucks taking spoil away from the Burnmill Farm work.

“They charge over the jagged speed bumps here doing at least 40mph, causing a real racket and upsetting residents all day long.

“We’ve had low loaders hauling diggers along Alvington Way and some of the vehicles are so massive they can hardly negotiate our tight little roads.

“Many of us were also hit by devastating flooding last winter clearly triggered by the new Burnmill Farm development.

“So we won’t be sitting on the sidelines doing nothing and looking on if David Wilson do try to build yet another nightmare estate here.

“We are on red alert and we will be watching you.

“And we’ll be doing all we can to urge Harborough council to reject any new planning applications.”

A fellow objector has told Harborough District Council: “I very strongly object to any change to the use of the area west of Cherry Tree Drive.

“I cannot even believe that the developer, DWH, has the nerve to try and sneak through another planning proposal that would cause even more disruption and danger than the residents are currently having to endure from the hugely unpopular Burnmill Farm development.”

A David Wilson Homes East Midlands spokesman said: “The land at the western end of Cherry Tree Drive was outlined in our approved planning application as a potential future access corridor for our existing Burnmill Grange development.

“This is standard practice for all of our developments and does not mean the land will be built on, only that it could be.”

He added: “As a five star housebuilder we strive to provide transparency for our customers, and if further development was a possibility this would be subject to a new planning application.”