Retirement village plan appeal near Broughton Astley is dismissed by inspector

Plans to create a new retirement village on a go-karting track in the Harborough district have been dismissed on appeal.

David Poyner’s proposal looked to create the village for the over 50s in Sutton in the Elms, but a planning inspector raised multiple concerns, saying it was not in a “convenient” location.

Mr Poyner, of DAVICO Properties UK, took the plans to appeal after Harborough District Council’s (HDC) planning committee unanimously refused his scheme last year. The development, near Broughton Astley, has a long history of planning applications, including a 2021 application to build 45 woodland holiday lodges and a lake on the Sutton Circuits site.

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That application, which included proposals for a shop/office and other buildings, was approved but subsequent amended plans to remove the word “holiday” from the lodges were rejected. In 2023, an application was submitted for the lodges to be utilised “for residential use” but this was turned down before the latest proposal for the retirement village emerged.

Plans to create a new retirement village on a go-karting track in the Harborough district have been dismissed on appeal.placeholder image
Plans to create a new retirement village on a go-karting track in the Harborough district have been dismissed on appeal.

HDC rejected the proposal for the village – which would take the same layout as the lodges plan – in May last year, prompting Mr Poyner to appeal. However, the Planning Inspectorate has backed the council’s decision, making reference to the fact that no holiday lodges are currently on site. At present, the Sutton Circuit Outdoor Go-Karting track stands on the land at the heart of Mr Poyner’s multiple applications.

The inspector said: “Both main parties state that the previous scheme has been implemented. However, there is no holiday accommodation present within the appeal site.”

In its decision notice, the inspector also questioned the amenities on site for future residents if approved. They said that although the scheme included a shop and café/restaurant, there was “limited evidence” that these would provide “sufficient facilities” to support residents’ day-to-day needs.

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It added the site was “not conveniently” located for retail offerings either, meaning would-be residents would be reliant on a car.

The Planning Inspectorate added that if approved, the retirement village’s residents would have a greater reliance on local services. As such, the inspector found “this would lead to a different pattern of vehicle movements to a holiday maker who would not be so dependent on accessing similar local services”.

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