22-acre business park plan for edge of Harborough village

A scheme for a 22-acre business park for the edge of a Harborough village has been submitted to district council planners.
PlanningPlanning
Planning

The plan is for a business park off Wistow Road, Kibworth Beauchamp, on a triangular site (pictured above) surrounding the existing Priory Business Park.

Developers Manor Oak Homes say the area could be used for commercial/industrial development, office and retail space.

Outline planning permission is sought for up to 11,368m2 of commercial/industrial floorspace, up to 882m2 for offices and up to 294m2 of retail floorspace.

Developers say the industrial area, when full, will generate 284 extra vehicle journeys in the peak hour between 8am and 9am.

They plan to offset the extra traffic by providing a new roundabout at the A6/New Road junction east of Kibworth Beauchamp.

Manor Oak homes also has a separate application for 110 homes on land to the south-east of Warwick Road, Kibworth Beauchamp, which also borders the industrial site.

But locals are worried about the extra traffic the new business park will generate.

Chris Wood, chairman of Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council, said: “We haven’t discussed this application formally yet. But, as with all the Kibworth applications, we would be worried about the traffic impact on what are 
essentially small rural roads.

“The roundabout proposed for the A6 / New Road junction is helpful - you can easily wait for 10 minutes at that junction during peak times - but it’s only one of the problem points.”

Kibworth Beauchamp is also facing applications from developers for new housing estates.

The lack of school places in the village is currently blocking the housing plans.

So far Kibworth Parish Council objections have been backed by Harborough District Council planners.

But locals fear frustrated developers could club together to solve the school problem.