Strategic Development Areas (SDAs)

East of Lutterworth is a mixed development. It is identified as a Strategic Development Area (SDA) for around 2,750 houses, employment and community facilities, together with a new Spine Road over the M1 Motorway to connect the A426 (Leicester Road) with the A4304 (Lutterworth Road). It has been allocated as a key area for new housing through the Local Plan.

The majority of the site lies to the east of the M1 Motorway. In broad terms this encompasses land to the north of the A4304 (Lutterworth Road) and up to, and beyond, Gilmorton Road. The site includes land to the south of the A4304, which borders Junction 20 of the M1.

The site also includes land to the west of the M1. This comprises a field on the northern edge of Lutterworth alongside the A426, and land to the east of the Lutterworth, that is bound by the M1, a dismantled railway line and the built edge of Lutterworth.

Leicestershire County Council is the applicant.

Harborough District Council will determine the application.

It is currently intended that the application will be considered sometime during the summer of 2019.

Up to 2,750 dwellings; business, general industrial and storage and distribution uses; two primary schools; neighbourhood centre; public open space; greenspace; drainage features; acoustic barrier; and other associated infrastructure; a spine road and associated junctions with the A426 north of Lutterworth, Gilmorton Road, Chapel Lane, and the A4304 east of M1 Junction 20.

The plans and application documents, which are quite detailed, can be viewed on the Council’s web site via the Planning Portal and searching for the reference 19/00250/OUT. There have been a number of public exhibitions in Lutterworth. At present no more are planned.

You can make comments on the application, which have to be in writing, by a number of different methods; directly through the Council’s website as set out above, by e-mail to planning@harborough.gov.uk and by writing to the planning department at the council offices.

A wide range of organisations have been consulted including Lutterworth Town Council, the Highways Agency, Heritage England, Natural England, the Highway Authority, the Clinical Commissioning Group and Severn Trent Water.

The Local Plan designates the site for development; the plan has been the subject of extensive public consultation including a public examination by an independent inspector. It is expected that the Local Plan will be adopted by the council in April this year.

The Strategic Growth Plan proposes that more development is built in major strategic developments. This development falls within that overall aim; it lies on a major transport route, M1 motorway, and Magna Park which is nearby and is identified as an economic growth area. The proposal meets the aims of the Strategic Growth Plan.

There will be jobs created during the construction phase of the development which will extend over a number of years. There are four areas identified on the master plan for employment sites these will deliver opportunities for a variety of types of employment.

The Council’s policy requires a minimum provision of 40% affordable homes. The mix of types and sizes will be decided on a phase by phase basis.

No. There will be leisure and recreation facilities on the site and a site has been identified for the future provision of a new leisure centre in the future. The current planning application does not plan for the closure of the existing leisure centre or make provision for a new leisure one.

There is a spine road running through the development which connects the A426 near Bill Crane Way to the A4304 to the east of junction 21 of the M1 motorway. It is expected that this will relieve some of the existing traffic which passes through the centre of Lutterworth.

At present there are no housebuilders linked to the development.

It is anticipated that the first houses will be completed in 2023.

The Local Plan identifies the site for 13 hectares of storage and distribution (B8) uses.

The Local Plan is now silent on this matter there will be opportunities to review the future of Gilmorton Road once the spine road is in operation. The planning application proposes that once the spine road is completed Gilmorton Road be restricted to public transport, sustainable transport, walking and cycling traffic only.

It is expected that work will commence on site in 2020 and continue to the completion of the development in approximately 2040. There are a number of factors that can influence the speed that a development is built out and the completion date may be before or after the suggested date.

Through the council the developers have to agree a management plan with Natural England which will include the protection and enhancement of the site.

Historic England have been consulted about the application and their views are a material consideration in the determination of the application. An extensive programme of archaeological work is being undertaken and further work will be required as the development progresses. There is an extensive area of public open space adjacent to the St Leonard’s Church in Misterton to help to protect the setting of the listed building.

The proposals for the protection of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) have been set out earlier, there are extensive areas of public open space which can be managed in such a way as to preserve and enhance its wildlife interest. The existing trees and hedgerows on the site have been surveyed and the most significant will be retained along with those which provide wildlife corridors.

The opportunities for running the powerlines underground have been looked into. For two reasons ‘undergrounding’ has had to be discounted because, first,there is the impact on the SSSI and, secondly, it would be uneconomic to resite them. The area under the pylons will form part of the public open space within the site.