Plans submitted for 450 homes near Great Glen

Applicant Davidsons Development Limited has put forward the plans on land north of London Road. Documents sent to Harborough District Council (HDC) note the site, which is 22.5 hectares in size and described as agricultural land, is adjacent to Leicester Grammar School.

The developer says traffic generated at peak periods here is “a challenge for the local area” and that following “extensive discussions”, its application has put forward a plan which it says will “improve the circulation of vehicles making trips to and from the school”.

Davidsons said the strategy includes the creation of a new roundabout on London Road which will “significantly improve” the situation for motorists, with a new arm extending to the school. A new parking area is also proposed for the school “to assist with drop off/pick up”, which would be available for community events at weekends.

Alongside the proposed 450 homes, the outline planning application looks to create a sports/recreation/ community hub and associated facilities.

Car parking on site will include “parking to the side of houses, areas of front car parking separated with landscaping and small parking courtyards with natural surveillance”.

Consultations held earlier this year revealed a number of concerns in the community, including highway and safety capacity, as well as fears relating to infrastructure, flooding and drainage and overdevelopment.

Davidsons Development Limited said elements of the consultation had informed how the final proposals had addressed these issues.

To date, one objection has been raised on the HDC planning portal, saying “the current area cannot take any further housing being built here without severe consequences”, with infrastructure among their biggest worries.

They added: “Doctors surgeries overwhelmed already will just not be able to cope and getting an appointment will be even harder, flooding the biggest factor of all, my friend near Orchard Lane has been out of his house for nearly two years due to two floods in the past two years. Can the schools cope with the influx of new pupils?”

Consultation on the plans runs until Wednesday, November 19. A decision on the plans is expected by Thursday January 22.