Director of Development
Charnwood Borough Council
Southfields
Loughborough
LE11 2TN

e-mail : charnwood2026@charnwood.gov.uk

The following points and concerns are made in response to Charnwood 2026 Further Consultation, October 2008 and in opposition to the selection of the preferred option West of Loughborough (Option C) – the development of Garendon Estate – and specifically in response to questions 4.10, 4.12, 4.2, 4.25, 4.34 and 5.9

The Borough Council's Core Strategy Document can be downloaded from this link:

http://www.charnwood.gov.uk/files/documents/core_strategy_further_consultation_document/2008%20Core%20Strategy%20Further%20Consultation.pdf

The council’s decision is not based on sound evidence. For example the transport study that they have used does not take full account of the road junctions and their capacity to handle the increased traffic flow. It assumes that potential increase in traffic levels can be reduced substantially by promotion of walking, cycling and public transport but makes no proposal as to how this can be achieved, nor to what level, given the current congested road network in the area. The Council has not received agreement on its use of this study with the Highway Authority.

The proposed development and its associated link road between the A6 and A512 will result in the coalescence of Hathern with both Shepshed and Dishley and is contrary to the advice contained within the Regional Spacial Strategy. Hathern, and its community of less than 900 houses, will be adversely affected by the very close proximity of 3500 new homes, with the village losing its distinctive identity, character and rural setting

The council have failed to balance social, economic and environmental issues: they propose development in an area that is poorly located to the town centre/railway station/employment ; the proposed development is wrongly sited to assist in the regeneration of the most deprived communities in Loughborough; and will adversely affect the historic Garendon Park and surrounding countryside as prime agricultural land, wildlife haven and valued recreational landscape .

The preferred option is of insufficient scale to meet the Regional Spatial Strategy’s definition of a ‘sustainable urban extension’. As such it will not deliver the level of community and social facilities necessary to make it self sufficient.

Other more suitable locations, such as to the East of Loughborough, are better suited for such a development, have the potential for further expansion, and also provide the best opportunity to tackle transport issues in Loughborough (noting that this town is the most congested in Leicestershire).

Whilst recognising the Borough Council's responsibility to make provision for sites for gypsies, travellers and showpeople, it is not agreed that the approach of linking such provision with sustainable urban extensions is correct. Decisions about such sites should be the subject of a more specific and focussed process where the full range of site options are assessed.

The next meeting of the Shepshed, Hathern and Dishley Area Forum is on the 27th October starting at 7pm. This Forum will be held at the Community Centre in Hathern, Pasture Lane, Hathern, LE12 5LJ.

The key topic on the agenda will be the Local Development Framework. The Local Development Framework is prepared by Charnwood Borough Council and sets out how future developments will be delivered in the area. Charnwood Borough Council will be consulting from 24th October to 5th December 2008 on the proposed directions of growth for the majority of new homes and jobs in the district.

The Area Forum meeting will be an opportunity for local residents to see the plans and discuss them with councillors and officers.

Residents are also encouraged to attend one of the public exhibitions or presentations taking place throughout Charnwood in the next few weeks as part of the consultation, where there will be opportunity to raise questions with officers regarding the consultation document for the Local Development Framework. Events in this area include:
Presentation and Discussions:
Glenmore Centre, Shepshed, 31st October, 7-9pm
Hathern Community Centre, Pasture Lane, 10th November, 7-9pm

Exhibition with the trailer:
Car Park at Shepshed Library, Hall Croft, 6th November, 10-6pm

For a full schedule of consultation events and more information about the Local Development Framework consultation, please visit Charnwood Borough Council’s consultation website: www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/charnwood2026 where there is also opportunity to voice your comments.

More and more people are making use of their Community Forum to try and improve local services and raise issues of local concern.
- Residents in Birstall were unhappy that the swimming pool in Longslade Community College was no longer going to be open to the public outside school hours. Discussion at the local Area Forum meeting resulted in the College working directly with local users to find ways the pool can remain open.
- Following the Government’s shortlisting of ‘Pennbury’ as a potential Eco-town, the ‘Have your Say’ meetings in Kibworth and Tugby were the first opportunity for residents in the surrounding area to find out how the District and County Council were planning to respond to this challenge.
- At the Blaby South Community Forum residents and Parish Councillors from Sapcote, Sharnford, Stoney Stanton and surrounding villages expressed their concerns about the volume and speed of Heavy Goods Vehicles travelling through their villages. In response officers promised to look into a range of measures to reduce the impact of traffic and improve road safety in the short term, while explaining how they were looking to provide longer-term solutions.

Community Forums give you the opportunity to discuss local issues with your local Parish, District and County Councillors and representatives from the Police and the Health Service. There are 27 Community Forums across they county. To find out more about forum meetings in your local area, please visit www.leicestershireforums.org

Contact: Derk van der Wardt, 0116 3057581

Information about Round Bank, Grounds Maintenance, Heritage Trail, an Update on Charnwood 2021, and the BT Phone Box in Cross street all feature in the latest edition of the parish council news in the Hathern Herald. You can download the page by clicking below.

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