First chunk of huge 600-house housing estate in Harborough gets the green light – despite being branded a 'blot on the landscape' by a councillor

The first chunk of a huge new 600-house housing estate in Market Harborough has got the green light – despite being branded a “blot on the landscape” by a councillor.

The Davidsons Homes scheme to build an initial 164 homes, including 56 ‘affordable’ properties, on land by Coleridge Way off Kettering Road was backed by Harborough District Council’s planning committee last night (Tuesday).

But Cllr Barry Frenchman told the rescheduled meeting: “It’s a blot on the landscape.”

The Conservative councillor for Market Harborough’s Welland ward said the sprawling 88-acre building site can be seen from a “long way away”.

“You can almost see it from Great Oxendon.

“It is a scar on the landscape and an intrusive site on the open countryside,” said Cllr Frenchman.

But the controversial blueprint was passed unanimously by councillors.

The project will form just the first part of a giant initiative to put up 600 homes at Clack Hill at the top of Kettering Road by the A6.

The new Overstone Park development will include a primary school, medical centre and community centre.

The enormous new estate is set to bring about 1,500 more people into Market Harborough over the next 10 years – and it sparked fury when it emerged in 2018.

Stretching out towards Braybrooke, the scheme will be built near a notorious accident blackspot at the busy A6 junction.

As a result two new roundabouts will be created at the entrance to the development and at the A6 junction in a bid to boost the flow of much more local traffic and make the area safer for drivers as well as other road-users.