Controversial Magna Park plan approved during heated meeting

A controversial proposal to expand of Magna Park has tonight (Wednesday) been approved for the second time this year.

With hundreds of objections against the plans, it was always going to be a heated meeting and the huge crowd that gathered for the four-hour meeting at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome often made their feelings known, despite warnings from the chairman of Harborough District Council’s (HDC’s) planning committee.

But despite the concerns raised, the committee voted six to five in favour of the plans for a 100,844sqm expansion to the west of the current site.

Concerns were raised about extra traffic and the damage the plans could have on the Bittesby Deserted Medieval Village. Developers IDI Gazeley countered those arguments by saying that it has built in many mitigations and that the proposal would create hundreds of jobs.

The planning committee had passed the same application in January but HDC decided to reconsider the decision in light of advice relating to the nearby Bittesby Deserted Medieval Village.

The planning committee will make decisions later this year on two other applications to expand Magna Park - one to the south and the other near the site that was approved tonight.

More to follow on this story - and see next Thursday’s Mail for the full story.

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