CHARNWOOD 2028 LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (LDF) CORE STRATEGY

SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT

(FINAL REPORT)

December 2011

CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 6

Summary of key findings from the Service Centre Capacity Study...... 7

2. INTRODUCTION AND POLICY CONTEXT ...... 11

Purpose of the Study...... 11 Background ...... 11 Current National Guidance...... 11 Current Regional Guidance...... 12 Previous Charnwood 2026 Core Strategy Assessments...... 13 Other Evidence Sources...... 15 Approach to the Assessments of Service Centres...... 15 Feedback from Initial Consultations on the Scoping Report, Spring 2010...... 16

3. STAGE 1: IDENTIFICATION OF SERVICE CENTRES ...... 18

Introduction ...... 18 a) Availability of Services and Facilities ...... 18 b) Transport Accessibility...... 21 Introduction...... 21 Road Access...... 22 Parking...... 22 Bus and Rail Access...... 23 Walking and Cycling...... 24 Roads and Traffic ...... 25 Conclusions on Transport Accessibility of Potential Service Centres...... 26 c) Ability of Settlements to Function as a Service Centre...... 31 Conclusions on the Suitability of Settlements as Service Centres...... 33

4. STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY IN POTENTIAL SERVICE CENTRES ...... 37

Introduction ...... 37 Funding Infrastructure...... 38 Section 106 Planning Agreements...... 38 Community Infrastructure Levy ...... 38 New Homes Bonus ...... 39 Infrastructure Needed to Support Growth in Service Centres ...... 39 Transport ...... 40 Primary and Secondary Education...... 40 Flood Protection...... 42 Doctors Surgeries...... 43 Libraries...... 45 Green Infrastructure...... 45 Utilities (electricity, gas, water supply, sewage & drainage) ...... 45 Affordable Housing...... 47 Conclusions on Infrastructure Provision...... 47

1 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 5. STAGE 3: ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED FOR NEW EMPLOYMENT LAND BY 2028 TO IMPROVE THE BALANCE BETWEEN HOMES AND JOBS IN SETTLEMENTS ..48

Introduction ...... 48 a) The Scope for Replacing Employment Land Lost Over the Past 15 to 20 Years ...... 49 b) Meeting Needs Generated by Structural Changes in the Economy & High Levels of Out-commuting...... 54 c) Employment Type - Matching Skill Levels to Employment Offers ...... 56 Conclusions on Employment Issues...... 57

6. STAGE 4: ASSESSMENT OF THE BROAD POTENTIAL OF PROPOSED SERVICE CENTRES TO ACCOMMODATE FURTHER GROWTH BY 2028 ...... 58

Introduction ...... 58 a) Assessment of Potential Housing Land Supply at March 2010 ...... 58 b) Identification of Key Local Issues Influencing Development Potential of the Proposed Service Centres .... 60 c) Conclusions on the Broad Potential of Proposed Service Centres to Accommodate Further Housing and Employment Growth ...... 68

2 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1: Summary of Settlement Hierarchies included in Community Strategy Documents...... 73

APPENDIX 2: 2001 Census Ward Data: Travel to Work by Mode for Workplace Population Ranked by Car or Van...... 76

APPENDIX 3: Accessibility of Potential Service Centres by Public Transport...... 77

APPENDIX 4: Walking and Cycling Accessibility in Potential Service Centres ...... 81

APPENDIX 5: Summary of the Main Findings of the Borough Council’s PPG17 Recreation and Open Spaces Study (August 2010)...... 85

APPENDIX 6: SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analyses of Key Local Issues in Potential Service Centres ...... 89

3 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 TABLES

Broad comparison of Proposed Service Centres for the range of factors covered in the Service Centres Assessment Study ...... 10

Table 1: Summary of Services and Facilities Available in Potential Service Centres ...... 19

Table 2: Transport Accessibility Summaries for Potential Service Centres...... 26

Table 3: Main Destinations for Doctors Surgeries and Secondary Schools for Charnwood Communities outside Main Urban Areas...... 32

Table 4: Accessibility and Capacity of Doctor’s Surgeries in Potential Service Centres ...... 44

Table 5: EMDA Infrastructure Study for the East Midlands (Aug 2010): Broad Implications for the Provision of Critical Infrastructure in Charnwood ...... 46

Table 6: Changes in B Class Employment Land in Potential Service Centres 1995 to 2010...... 50

Table 7: Population and Housing Changes in Potential Service Centres 1991-2010...... 52

Table 8: Significant Existing Employment Sources within 5km of each Potential Service Centre ...... 53

Table 9: Changes in the Balance between Workforce and Jobs in Potential Service Centres 2005-2008...... 54

Table 10: Indicative Housing Supply in Potential Service Centres Based on Possible Housing Sites Considered Deliverable and Developable in the 2010 SHLAA...... 59

Table 11: Opportunities for Improvement and Main Planning Constraints in Proposed Service Centres...... 61

Table 12: Broad comparison of the Proposed Service Centres against the Range of Factors Assessed in this Study ...... 71

4 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 PLANS

General Plans

1. Non-residential point data for main services and facilities and employment areas in Charnwood

2. Main public transport and road networks in Charnwood

3. Secondary (High and Upper) school catchment areas in Charnwood

4. Boroughwide coverage of catchment areas of service centres, cities and county towns

Plans for each potential Service Centre showing main services and facilities, bus and rail access, potential housing land supply and main planning constraints

5. Anstey

6. Barrow upon Soar

7. East Goscote

8. Hathern

9. Mountsorrel

10. Quorn

11. Rothley

12. Sileby

13. Syston

14. Woodhouse Eaves

15. Wymeswold

16. Key to plans for potential Service Centres

5 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1. The settlement hierarchy is a key element of the Core Strategy, grouping together settlements with similar levels of sustainability. It has been prepared in the context of national and regional policy guidance and influences how development is distributed across Charnwood.

1.2. Previous work undertaken on the initial ‘Settlement Hierarchy Assessment’ (2007) and the subsequent ‘Settlement Hierarchy Review’ (2008) established the hierarchy and guided the distribution of new housing and employment land in the Further Consultation Core Strategy (2008). This hierarchy is summarised in the Table below:

2008 Core Strategy Settlement Hierarchy and Distribution of development across Charnwood

Level of Sustainability and Scale of Settlement Hierarchy Categories Development Main Urban Areas Most sustainable communities which are well (Leicester Principal Urban Area and Sub served and accessible and where the majority Regional Centre of Loughborough and of new development should be located Shepshed) Large sustainable communities, reasonably well served and accessible and where some of Service Centres Charnwood’s overall development needs could be met Smaller rural villages, less sustainable communities with a few services and facilities Other Settlements for day to day needs. Only small-scale developments meeting local needs is appropriate. Least sustainable communities with very limited Small Villages and Hamlets in the or no services and facilities. Only affordable countryside housing meeting local needs likely to be appropriate.

1.3. The top two categories are the best served communities tending to be more self- contained. Their levels of services and facilities and accessibility suggest more potential to accommodate sustainable development. They are also well placed to help meet the needs of less well served villages and hamlets. Further housing in the smaller communities could increase already high levels of out-commuting and car dependency amongst residents.

1.4. The current Study focuses on Service Centres because there is still some uncertainty about which settlements should be included in this category. Latest evidence is analysed in order to:

6 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011  Establish the settlements to be defined as Service Centres in the settlement hierarchy in the Pre-Submission Core Strategy  Indicate in general terms the scope for the Service Centres to accommodate additional housing and employment land over the plan period.

1.5. The eleven settlements considered are: Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, East Goscote, Hathern, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley, Sileby, Syston, Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold.

1.6. Most of these settlements, apart from Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold, have been identified as Service Centres at some stage of Core Strategy work. Wymeswold was promoted as a Service Centre in response to the 2008 Core Strategy consultation and Woodhouse Eaves performs a similar role to Wymeswold in the Charnwood Forest area.

1.7. The Study has been prepared with help from Town and Parish Councils, infrastructure agencies and other key stakeholders.

Summary of key findings from the Service Centre Capacity Study

1.8. The four stages of work and the main findings at each stage are summarised below.

Stage 1: Identify the settlements suitable for designation as Service Centres taking account of the level of services and facilities, transport provision and the ability of settlements to serve wider areas.

Key Findings:

 Seven settlements merit designation as Service Centres: Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley, Sileby and Syston.  The remaining four settlements (East Goscote, Hathern, Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold) are not suitable to define as Service Centres. They are relatively close to better served centres and lack sufficient services and facilities, catchment populations and transport accessibility. Being less sustainable communities they should be categorised as Other Settlements in the hierarchy (see Table above).

Stage 2: Assess the capacity of key infrastructure (education, flood protection, doctors surgeries, libraries, green infrastructure and utilities) in Service Centres and the scope to support sustainable communities.

Key findings

7 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011

 Available evidence suggests further capacity will be needed in various types of infrastructure across all the proposed Service Centres to support growth and help overcome existing deficiencies.  There do not appear to be any infrastructure constraints of such significance that could not be overcome or rule out further development in any proposed Service Centre.  Provision of new infrastructure in Service Centres will depend on the availability of public and developer funding. With public funding constrained for the foreseeable future new development could help by including provision or by funding contributions such as the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Stage 3: Assess the need for new employment land in the proposed Service Centres to improve the self containment of settlements in terms of home and work.

Key findings

 The decline in jobs available in most potential service centres means many people travel to work in nearby urban centres, primarily Leicester and to a lesser degree Loughborough, adding to congestion on roads at peak times  A lack of local employment for residents reduces the sustainability of communities. Fewer people working locally can reduce the use of services and make them less viable.  Given losses and gains of employment land, population growth and high levels of out commuting the case for additional employment land is strongest at Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel and Sileby.  New employment land should provide industrial and perhaps office units, including starter and grow-on units. These sectors seem better suited to likely local needs and the creation of sustainable job opportunities

Stage 4: Assess the broad potential of the proposed Service Centres to accommodate further housing and employment growth by 2028.

Key findings

 The broad development potential of each service centre reflects overall performance across factors considered in the Study and the need for growth to be sustainable.  For Anstey some housing could be accommodated if adequate supporting services and infrastructure is available notably for schools, healthcare and transport provision. The level of growth would take account of any further permissions. Additional employment land would improve Anstey’s self containment between homes and jobs.

8 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011

 At Barrow upon Soar, Quorn and Sileby there do not appear to be constraints of such significance as to restrict the scope for more housing. The level of growth in any of these villages would need to take account of any further permissions with careful consideration given to impacts in particular on schools, transport and doctors surgeries. At Barrow upon Soar and Sileby additional employment land would compensate for significant losses of local job opportunities. Whilst there is no pressing need for additional employment land at Quorn some provision would enhance sustainability.  Mountsorrel has taken the most housing growth outside Loughborough over the past 20 years and lost many job opportunities. Here the priority is increased employment land to better balance homes and jobs in the village.  Rothley, the smallest Service Centre, has recently accommodated quite significant new housing. It has less scope to accommodate further housing than larger and better served Soar Valley villages. Whilst there is no pressing need for additional employment land some provision in the village would enhance sustainability.  Syston is the largest and most sustainable community of those assessed. The absence of real constraints suggests potential to accommodate further growth subject to provision of adequate supporting infrastructure. The level of growth would take account of any further permissions. Although not identified as a priority location for employment land some provision would enhance the town’s sustainability.

1.9. In all the settlements assessed development could generate contributions towards resolving local issues by improving village centres, regenerating run down areas and improving natural and built local environments.

1.10. Any future growth will need to be carefully planned with measures put in place to ensure adequate supporting services and infrastructure capacity are delivered in all cases at the earliest possible stage of any development.

1.11. The Table below gives a broad indication of the relative performance of the proposed Service Centres against the various factors assessed in this Study. The ratings may need to be reviewed in the light of more detailed work in relation to specific locations.

9 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Broad comparison of Proposed Service Centres for the range of factors covered in the Service Centres Assessment Study

Sileby Quorn Syston Anstey Rothley Mountsorrel Barrow upon Soar

Services & facilities Quality of centre Transport access Employment self containment Opportunities for improvement Planning constraints Infrastructure capacity

Notes

A good level of service and facility provision, access, employment and homes balance or opportunities for improvement; or A low level of planning and/ or infrastructure capacity constraints A reasonable level of service and facility provision, access, employment and homes balance or opportunities for improvement; or A moderate level of planning and/ or infrastructure capacity constraints A fair level of service and facility provision, access, employment and homes balance or opportunities for improvement; or A significant level of planning and/ or infrastructure capacity constraints A poor level of service and facility provision, access, employment and homes balance or opportunities for improvement; or A very significant, potentially overriding level of planning and/ or infrastructure capacity constraints

1.12. Once finalised the Study’s findings will be input into an update of the ‘Settlement Hierarchy Review’ (2008). This update will help frame the development strategy included in the Pre-Submission Core Strategy.

1.13. Specific locations for development in Service Centres will be identified in a subsequent Site Allocations Development Plan Document.

10 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011

2. INTRODUCTION AND POLICY CONTEXT

Purpose of the Study

2.1. This Study is a key part of the Core Strategy evidence base. Its purpose is to reassess the Service Centre tier of the settlement hierarchy for Charnwood in the light of current information and a changing policy context. Service Centres are the level below the most sustainable locations - the main urban centres- in the hierarchy. They should be sustainable and accessible communities able to provide services and facilities for surrounding parishes.

Background

2.2. This Study has been prepared to conform with extant policy guidance and take forward previous Core Strategy work having regard to latest evidence.

Current National Guidance

2.3. ‘PPS1: Delivering Sustainable Development’ sets out the government's overarching planning policies on the delivery of sustainable development through the planning system. At the heart of sustainable development is the simple idea of ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for future generations. Para 5 indicates that planning should facilitate and promote sustainable and inclusive patterns of urban and rural development by, amongst other things, ensuring that development supports existing communities and contributes to the creation of safe, sustainable, liveable and mixed communities with good access to jobs and key services for all members of the community.

2.4. ‘PPS4: Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth’ sets out the Government's comprehensive policy framework for planning for sustainable economic development in urban and rural areas. In preparing the evidence base consideration needs to be given to regional assessments, assessments of the need for land for economic development taking account of deficiencies in provision and the existing and future supply of land available.

2.5. ‘PPS 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas’ sets out the government's planning policies for rural areas covering country towns, villages and the wider, largely undeveloped countryside. Para 3 provides the key guidance on the location of development to help ensure sustainable rural communities, economic development and services:

11 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 ‘Away from larger urban areas development can be directed to locations in or near local service centres where jobs, housing, services and facilities can be provided close together. This should help to ensure these facilities are served by public transport and provide improved opportunities for access by walking and cycling. These centres (which might be a country town, a single large village or a group of villages) should be identified in the development plan as the preferred location for such development’.’

2.6. Elsewhere at para 4 planning authorities are encouraged to set out in development plan documents their policies for rural areas allowing some limited development in, or next to, rural settlements that are not designated as local service centres, in order to meet local business and community needs and to maintain the vitality of these communities.

2.7. ‘PPS 13: Transport’ sets out guidance to integrate planning and transport at all levels and to promote more sustainable transport choices both for carrying people and for moving freight. Key objectives set out at para 4 are:

i) to promote more sustainable transport choices; ii) to promote accessibility to jobs, shopping, leisure facilities and services by public transport, walking and cycling; and iii) to reduce the need to travel, especially by car.

2.8. The Government is undertaking a review of planning policy designed to consolidate existing guidance into a single concise National Planning Policy Framework. A draft of the framework was published for consultation over the late summer of 2011 and a final policy is expected early in 2012. Amongst othert things the Framework will introduce a presumption in favour of sustainable development. This is considered key to creating a positive pro-development framework underpinned by wider economic, environmental and social provisions.

Current Regional Policy

2.9. The ‘East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy (2009)’ applies a strategy of urban concentration in the region. The majority of development is directed to the Principal Urban Areas of Derby, Leicester and Nottingham and a lesser amount to Sub Regional Centres including Loughborough. Elsewhere in the region Policy 12 indicates housing should be located within and adjoining settlements in scale with the size of settlements, in locations respecting environmental constraints and with good public transport links.

12 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 2.10. The government has made clear its intention to revoke regional strategies and the Localism Act reflects this intention. However following legal challenges the Court of Appeal has ruled that the intention to abolish regional plans is not a material consideration in plan-making. This ruling suggests local planning authorities should continue to prepare Plans in general conformity with regional policies.

Previous Charnwood 2026 Core Strategy Assessments

2.11. The ‘Settlement Hierarchy Assessment (2007)’1 developed the initial settlement hierarchy for Charnwood:

 At the top of the hierarchy were the main urban areas: the Leicester Principal Urban Area and Loughborough /Shepshed Sub Regional Centre.  The next level of the hierarchy are Service Centres which includes settlements with accessible, well established service bases. All of the nine Service Centres (Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, East Goscote, Hathern, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley, Sileby and Syston) were considered to be readily accessible to at least one main urban centre and well placed to serve many needs of residents of nearby areas.  Less well served settlements were categorised as Other Communities.

2.12. The ‘Settlement Hierarchy Review (2008)’2 reconsidered the 2007 Assessment taking account of settlement character, planning constraints and updated information on accessibility and service provision.

2.13. Seven settlements (Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley, Sileby and Syston) were defined as Service Centres. These settlements located alongside the River Soar or close to Leicester had generally good accessibility by public transport and robust service bases. They were well placed to function as Service Centres for smaller villages and rural areas.

2.14. East Goscote and Hathern being smaller and less well served settlements were re- categorised in the lower tier of ‘Other Settlements’ able to serve some day to day needs of residents and having bus access to higher order settlements.

2.15. The smallest communities were defined as ‘Small Villages and Hamlets in the Countryside’ with very limited or no services and facilities where residents rely on higher order settlements for day to day needs.

1 See http://www.charnwood.gov.uk/files/documents/settlement_hierarchy_assessment1/settlementhierarchyassessmentupd.doc 2 See http://www.charnwood.gov.uk/files/documents/settlement_hierarchy_review_2008/Settlement%20hierarchy%20review%209-08%20final.doc

13 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 2.16. The ‘Further Consultation Core Strategy (Oct 2008)’ settlement hierarchy was based on the 2008 Settlement Hierarchy Review. The development strategy envisaged the majority of development taking place within and around main urban areas with a smaller amount within or adjoining some Service Centres to support them as sustainable communities. There might be limited small scale development in some Other Settlements but no development other than affordable housing in small villages and hamlets in the countryside.

2.17. There were a wide range of consultation responses to the proposed settlement hierarchy. Some main points of relevance to this Study are:

 Broad support for the Service Centres proposed.  Requests for Birstall and Wymeswold to be defined as Service Centres.  Some support for further development in certain centres. It is suggested that growth of Service Centres could relieve significant growth pressures on Loughborough.  Service Centres generally have good services and public transport accessibility. It is suggested that further development would accord with sustainability objectives provided it secures significant improvements, by concentrating development in a few places to address local issues and strengthen infrastructure.  Brownfield sites should be a priority for development but some interests promote the potential of greenfield locations.  The contrary view is expressed that further development in Service Centres, with already stretched facilities, would not bring benefits or create sustainable communities and could erode community identity.  Most communities wish to retain their individual identity and remain clearly separate with good access to nearby countryside.  Five of the seven proposed Service Centres are grouped close together alongside the Soar valley and mainly serve each other.  All settlements should expand in proportion to their size. Excessive development would harm settlement character.

2.18. The ‘New Dwellings in Charnwood’s Rural Communities’ interim policy has applied in development control decision making since early 2009. The guidance was developed in response to an appeal decision in October 2008 which allowed housing development in Rearsby, an ‘Other Settlement’.

2.19. Development of the interim policy took into account the main issues identified by the inspector relating to availability of services and facilities and public transport accessibility. The 2008 settlement hierarchy was amended to upgrade the status of smaller villages with similar service bases and public transport accessibility to Rearsby.

14 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 2.20. Categorisation of settlements reflects the availability of key services and facilities identified in the 2008 Settlement Hierarchy Review. The interim policy presumes in favour of market housing in the following settlements subject to usually applicable planning criteria:

Main Urban Areas Birstall, Loughborough, Shepshed, Thurmaston

Service Centres plus those other settlements with a service base including 4 key services and a 20 minute frequency bus service to at least one main urban centre Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, East Goscote, Hathern, Mountsorrel, Queniborough, Quorn, Rearsby, Rothley, Sileby and Syston

2.21. Elsewhere in Charnwood market housing schemes are not permitted under the interim policy.

Other Evidence Sources

2.22. In preparing this Study reference has been made to a range of other published material including;

 Leicester & Leicestershire HMA Authorities Growth Infrastructure Assessment (GIA) - Roger Tyms & Partners (2009)  Infrastructure Study for the East Midlands - East Midlands Development Agency (2010)  PPG17 Open Space, Sport and Recreation Study for Charnwood – PMP Consultancy (2010)  Affordable Housing Viability Assessment -Three Dragons Consultancy (2010)  Leicester and Leicestershire Employment Land Study Report – PACEC (2008)  Charnwood Draft Economic Development Strategy – Charnwood Borough Council (unpublished)  Transport Assessments for the Charnwood 2026 LDF - MVA Consultancy (2008)  Southern Charnwood Transport Assessments for the 2026 Local Development Framework – MVA Consultancy (2009)

Approach to the Assessments of Service Centres

2.23. The current Study assesses the potential of eleven settlements to function as Service Centres.

Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, East Goscote, Hathern, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley, Sileby, Syston, Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold.

15 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 2.24. These are:

 the nine Service Centres defined in the ‘Settlement Hierarchy Assessment (2007); plus  Wymeswold, suggested as a potential Service Centre in consultation responses to the 2008 Further Consultation Core Strategy; and  Woodhouse Eaves which appears to play a similar role in the Charnwood Forest area to Wymeswold in the Wolds area.

2.25. Birstall, Thurmaston and Shepshed are not assessed. Current regional policy identifies Birstall and Thurmaston as part of the Leicester Principal Urban Area and Shepshed as part of the Loughborough Sub Regional Centre.

2.26. This Study focuses on defining Service Centres in order to help resolve differences between settlement hierarchies in published documents3. Relevant parts of community strategies are summarised in Appendix 1. In addition it provides a general commentary on the broad scope to accommodate growth in the light of the evidence gathered

2.27. The findings of this Study will contribute to an update of the Settlement Hierarchy Review 2008 and provide the evidence base for the settlement hierarchy in the pre- submission draft of the Core Strategy.

2.28. The scale of growth and suitable locations for new housing and employment land in any settlement will be identified in subsequent Development Plan Documents and any new Neighbourhood Plans prepared for individual communities.

Feedback from Initial Consultations on the Scoping Report, Spring 2010

2.29. In April 2010 key stakeholders were sent a copy of the Scoping Report and asked to provide up to date information and comments for consideration in preparing this Report. Parish Councils were asked to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in their communities.

2.30. The key stakeholders were the main utility providers involved in the 2009 Growth Infrastructure Assessment, the Government Office for the East Midlands, Leicestershire County Council, Leicester City Council, neighbouring district councils, Town and Parish Councils and economic advisors.

3 Different settlement hierarchies are included in the County Council’s Places in Charnwood Report (August 2009 as amended 2010), the Borough Council’s Sustainable Community Strategy (2009) and the emerging Local Development Framework Core Strategy (including the interim ‘New Dwellings in Charnwood’s Rural Communities’ policy).

16 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 2.31. 15 responses4 were received between May and September 2010. Since then further discussions with the County Council on education and transport issues have clarified some key information requirements.

2.32. The Scoping Report will be made available on the Council’s website.

2.33. The assessments are in four stages:

Stage 1: Identify the settlements suitable for designation as Service Centres taking account of the level of services and facilities, transport accessibility and the ability of settlements to serve wider areas.

Stage 2: Assess the capacity of key infrastructure (education, flood protection, doctors surgeries, libraries, green infrastructure and utilities) in Service Centres and the scope to support sustainable communities.

Stage 3: Assess the need for new employment land in the Service Centres to improve the self containment of settlements in terms of home and work.

Stage 4: Assess the broad potential of the Service Centres to accommodate further housing and employment growth by 2028.

The findings for each stage are set out in the following sections of this Report.

4 Responses were received from the National Grid, Highways Agency, Leicestershire and Rutland Primary Care Trust, Leicestershire County Council (Education, Waste Management), Severn Trent Water, Government Office for the East Midlands, Rushcliffe Borough Council, Anstey Parish Council, Barrow upon Soar Parish Council, East Goscote Parish Council, Mountsorrel Parish Council, Rothley Parish Council, Woodhouse Eaves Parish Council, Wymeswold Parish Council, Barrow Business Forum)

17 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3. STAGE 1: IDENTIFICATION OF SERVICE CENTRES

Introduction

3.1. The first stage is to identify the settlements suitable for designation as Service Centres. A Service Centre should have a strong services and facilities base and a viable central commercial area.

3.2. The assessment considers three main influences on the suitability of a settlement to be a Service Centre:

a) The level of services and facilities currently available as derived from surveys and published sources; b) the level of transport accessibility notably in terms of walking, cycling and public transport as derived from timetables and surveys; c) the role a settlement might play in serving the needs of smaller villages and /or rural areas having regard primarily to current school catchments.

3.3. In the light of the cumulative information available judgements are made on the potential of settlements to act as a Service Centre over the next 20 years or so.

a) Availability of Services and Facilities

3.4. There is no specific threshold for the number of services and facilities or the mix of provision a Service Centre should provide.

3.5. Information on services and facilities from the 2008 Settlement Hierarchy Review in Table 1 below shows:

 the number of each category present in a settlement; and  the total number of categories present.

3.6. For Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold the mobile library service is counted as half a service as this is likely to be less attractive to users than a fixed library.

18 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Table 1: Summary of Services and Facilities Available in Potential Service Centres

(A)

(B)

School y tician p Bank Library Dentist O Pharmacy Cash Point Post Office Public House Petrol Station Primar Total number of Total number Doctors Surgery Secondary School categories present Community Facility Main convenience Store Leisure & Recreation 1 Anstey 3 1 1 1 2 1 3 8 4 - 3 6 2 1 14 (11-14) Barrow upon 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 - 2 4 - 3 7 1 1 13 Soar (11-14) 1 East Goscote 1 1 - - 1 - 2 1 - 2 4 - 1 1 10 (C) 1 Hathern 2 - - - 1 - 3 4 1 2 4 - 1 1 10 (C) Mountsorrel 5 2 1 1 1 1 - 3 4 2 4 9 - 1 1 13 1 1 Quorn 1 1 - - 1 - 2 8 - 5 7 1 1 11 (C) (15-18) 1 - Rothley 1 1 - 1 - 1 5 - 5 6 - 1 1 10 (C) (D) 1 Sileby 9 2 1 1 1 1 1 6 6 - 4 - 2 1 13 3 1 1 Syston 4 1 3 3 3 1 5 8 9 1 5 2 1 15 1 (11-18) Woodhouse 1 9.5 1 1 - - 1 - 2 4 - 4 4 - 1 mobile Eaves (C) (E) - 5.5 Wymeswold ------1 3 - 2 3 - 1 mobile (C) (E)

Notes (A) Leisure & Recreation covers the wide range of land and buildings used for these purposes. The level of provision indicated may not be comprehensive but gives a reasonable indication of availability. (B) Community Facilities covers the wide range of buildings primarily used for these purposes. The level of provision indicated may not be comprehensive but gives a reasonable indication of availability. (C) East Goscote, Hathern, Quorn, Rothley, Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold do not have a supermarket (D) The clinic on North Street, Rothley closed in 2008. The nearest practice in Mountsorrel is about 1 mile away on main bus routes (E) The scores for Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold include a score of 0.5 for a mobile library service

19 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3.7. The 2008 information has been compared with current ‘non - residential address point data’5 showing the distribution of key services and facilities (shops, doctor’s surgeries, community facilities, secondary and primary schools). The overall distribution of the non-residential data is shown on Plan 1 and the same information for individual settlements on Plans 5 to 16. Comparison of the two datasets suggests no significant changes in provision in recent years.

3.8. Broad surveys of commercial areas undertaken in spring 2010 confirm Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, Sileby and Syston have relatively strong centres with core retail areas, although Anstey no longer has a post office. Each centre is anchored by at least one supermarket and offers a broad range of shops and services. The buoyancy of Anstey and Syston as centres is not significantly diminished by proximity to Beaumont Leys and Thurmaston district centres respectively. Mountsorrel, Quorn and Rothley have smaller village centres with reasonably strong retail cores and service bases. Mountsorrel’s main supermarket is located well outside the centre on the north edge of the village.

3.9. The close proximity of the five large Soar valley villages to each other facilitates sharing of services and facilities. The Soar valley leisure centre at Mountsorrel is centrally located in the Soar valley area. The catchments of secondary schools in Barrow upon Soar and Quorn include Mountsorrel and Sileby and Birstall schools cover Rothley. Mountsorrel’s main supermarket is well placed for many Quorn residents. Rothley has no doctors surgery but residents are close to provision in Mountsorrel and Birstall.

3.10. By contrast Hathern located north of Loughborough alongside the Soar valley is a predominantly residential village with no coherent centre or retail core. There are some shops and services in the main built up area east of the A6 and a scatter of provision along the A6. The convenience offer is modest and comparison shops are very limited. The village has a library and doctor’s surgery. Overall provision meets some local day to day needs and passing A6 trade.

3.11. East Goscote is a compact village alongside the Wreake valley with a small centre offering a range of facilities. The retail core is a parade of 11 mainly convenience shops including a general store, pharmacy and post office. The centre has a doctors surgery, primary school, library, and range of community facilities. Shops and services are reasonable for local day to day needs but the overall offer is not strong enough to be a real alternative to nearby Syston.

5 Address point is a GIS mapping dataset from the Ordnance Survey defining and locating residential, business and public postal addresses identified by the Royal Mail.

20 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3.12. At Woodhouse Eaves the diversity of services and facilities is reasonable. Provision is mainly services (interiors, hair/beauty and pubs/restaurants) plus two convenience shops, a post office and doctor’s surgery/pharmacy. Comparison goods are limited. There is no cohesive village centre or retail core. Provision spread out mainly along Main Street and Maplewell Road is strong enough to meet local day to day needs. Specialist services serve a wider area.

3.13. Wymeswold, located in the Wolds, is a predominantly residential village with limited retail and service provision scattered mainly along Far Street. There is no feel of a village centre nor a strong retail or service core. The village shop, butchers, pharmacy and three pubs mostly serve some local day to day needs with a pine furniture shop serving a wider area. The general store and full-time post office closed in 2008.

3.14. The recent loss of some key local facilities such as post offices, petrol stations and banks has weakened the role of some settlements as local service centres. There is scope for replacement provision such as the introduction of small format stores by national chains. In some of the larger centres such stores are already making a positive contribution by attracting footfall to the centre as whole. There may be scope to supplement these by other branded outlets such as coffee bar chains and other retail outlets. All such facilities will need to be carefully considered to ensure they are appropriate ina scale and location to safeguard the vitality and diversity of local centres.

b) Transport Accessibility

Introduction

3.15. A Service Centre should have at least reasonable public transport, walking and cycling accessibility offering realistic transport choices to the car for most trips.

3.16. Transport accessibility has been assessed in terms of general road access, broad parking provision and access by non-car modes.

3.17. For non-car modes a key consideration is the ease of access to key destinations (local and nearest urban centres, secondary schools and main employment areas) by different modes. Assessments of access by public transport, cycling and walking cover:

i) bus and rail services: frequency and travel times based on Summer 2010 timetables, and the proximity of homes to routes; ii) the safety and convenience of cycling within a 5km catchment and walking within an 800m catchment.

21 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3.18. The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport has provided a broad overview of current transportation conditions in and around the potential Service Centres, based on a general understanding of current conditions, and conducted as a ‘desk top’ exercise. These comments are incorporated in the assessments.

Road Access

3.19. All the potential Service Centres are well located in relation to the main road network (A6, A46, A60 and M1 Motorway) and have good road links towards Loughborough and Leicester and with nearby settlements. There are increasing congestion issues reflecting generally good accessibility by road and high levels of car use by local people.

3.20. 2001 Census ward based travel to work data for workplaces gives a broad indication of trips to travel to the proposed Service Centres. This data suggests only Wymeswold had more car use and less travel by non-car modes than the County and East Midlands averages. The more residential and rural communities had around the same level of car travel as for Charnwood as a whole. Only Rothley, Anstey, Mountsorrel and Hathern had lower levels of car based travel to local workplaces than the average for Charnwood.

3.21. The 2001 data probably reflect higher levels of local employment available at the time as suggested by high levels of walking and homeworking in most potential Service Centres.

3.22. The situation will inevitably have changed since 2001 given higher levels of car ownership, easier access by car than for other modes given an improved road network and a shrinking local employment base meaning more people have to travel outside a settlement to work.

3.23. The 2001 Census travel to work data for workplaces in wards including the potential Service Centres is included at Appendix 2.

Parking

3.24. Each settlement appears to have a reasonable supply of short stay car parking but more limited secure cycle parking in central areas. Problems arise in some village centres for example Barrow on Soar where free car parking intended for shoppers coming and going through the day is occupied by commuters parking all day. The most sustainable way to address such problems would be to implement car park management strategies perhaps with a charging structure designed to favour short stay users. There should also be complementary measures to make walking, cycling and public transport use more attractive as alternatives to the car.

22 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3.25. In most villages options to increase off-street car parking are likely to be limited. Where provision is justified it is most likely to be achieved through redevelopment opportunities.

Bus and Rail Access

3.26. Information on the frequency and journey times of weekday daytime (7am to 7pm Mon to Sat) bus and rail services at Summer 2010, and the proximity of homes to routes for each potential Service Centre is summarised in Appendix 3.

3.27. In assessing accessibility to bus travel it is assumed people are more likely to travel by bus rather than car if the maximum walking distance to a bus stop is 400m. This threshold is adopted in Boroughwide Local Plan Policy TR/5 and the County Council’s Highways Transport and Development (HtD). Para 3.81 of HtD states that generally maximum walking distances to bus stops in urban areas should be 400m and desirably no more than 250m. In rural areas walking distances up to 800m are appropriate as the main role of bus travel is providing access rather than transport choice. In the current assessment 400m is taken as the appropriate threshold for Service Centres.

3.28. A longer maximum walking distance of 800m for rail is appropriate given faster and longer journeys generally possible by train.

3.29. Beyond the specified walking distances bus and rail are less attractive travel choices as the amount of walking at the start and finish of trips is significant. Where walks are over 1km to rail stations people are more likely to drive.

3.30. Main public transport and road networks in Charnwood are shown on Plan 2.

3.31. Public transport accessibility has been assessed for each settlement based on officer judgements to enable broad comparison in terms of accessibility. The assessments for each settlement take into account:

 current access by bus and rail in a settlement;  current access by bus and rail to main urban centres by public transport; and to nearby settlements within 5km;  variations in frequency of services in different parts of settlements.

3.32. Performance is rated in broad terms in the range: ‘very good bus/rail access – good – reasonable – fair – poor’. ‘Very good’ access would normally only be found in the best served parts of main urban areas on, direct, densely populated inter-urban routes. ‘Poor’ access would suggest reliance on a single public transport service of worse than hourly frequency.

23 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3.33. The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport has advised that it is difficult to indicate the appropriate level of public transport providing realistic transport choice. Bus travel offers the most flexibility and is more affordable. An hourly bus service, lacking both evening and weekend services as currently available in Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold does not provide an attractive alternative to the private car in sustainability terms. At the other extreme direct, frequent bus services throughout the day, supported by evening and weekend services such as currently available in Anstey and parts of Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley and Syston would be the most attractive option.

3.34. Further, in serving new developments the best levels of bus provision are in many cases likely to be unaffordable at times of funding constraints. Provision is likely to consist of a greater mix of elements, including bus services (commercial and supported) plus demand responsive transport and community delivered initiatives meeting identified needs. The optimal locations for new development will be those offering sufficient critical mass to support a viable range of solutions. In these locations solutions will need to be identified for access to the main destinations for schools, services and jobs. It cannot be assumed that a good level of services will have adequate capacity to support further development.

Walking and Cycling

3.35. The maximum reasonable distance assumed for cycling trips is 5km. This is in line with guidance in PPG13 ‘Transport’ (2001). There is no evidence suggesting a different threshold should be used in this study.

3.36. The distance people are prepared to walk varies with fitness, the purpose of trips, the perceived safety of the route and any physical barriers/crossings along the way. People may walk up to 800m to access a range of day-to-day needs, notably for shopping. They may walk further - up to 2km for leisure, education and cultural activities. 800m is widely regarded as a reasonable 10 minute walk assuming an average person walks at about 5km per hour (see Department of Transport’s “Manual for Streets” (2007). The County Highway Authority advocate 800m as a suitable threshold being used in the 6 C’s ‘Highways, Transport and Development’ guidance and also the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation‘s ‘Providing Journeys on Foot’ guidance where 800m is the maximum acceptable walking distance to a town centre.

3.37. Given the above context 800m is taken as being a more reasonable threshold for walking trips locally than the 2km suggested in PPG13.

24 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3.38. Walking and cycling accessibility has been assessed for each settlement. As with public transport assessments are based on officer judgements to enable broad comparison between different settlements. They reflect the size and location of settlements, the availability of suitable routes for walking and cycling, and proximity of homes to central areas, secondary schools and employment areas.

3.39. Performance is rated in broad terms in the range: ‘very good – good – reasonable – fair – poor’. ‘Very good’ access would mean most routes are of good quality with few barriers to access. ‘Poor’ access would suggest difficulties in walking or cycling for many trips.

3.40. The ratings for all the potential Service Centres are clustered together with no settlement having very good access by walking and cycling. Only Syston has good accessibility. Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, East Goscote, Hathern, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley and Sileby have reasonable potential.

3.41. Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold being smaller are walkable communities. However they are only rated as having fair access by walking and cycling because residents are remote from significant employment areas and lack key services and facilities locally such as supermarkets and secondary schools, and in the case of Wymeswold a doctors surgery.

3.42. The broad accessibility of potential Service Centres by walking and cycling is summarised at Appendix 4.

Roads and Traffic

3.43. The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport has identified the main pressures on the local road network for each settlement. This analysis set out in Table 2 below flags-up issues that should be taken into account as part of the settlement selection process. However the Director has indicated that more detailed investigation will be needed in assessing specific locations as part of further Core Strategy work. This may require the use of the new Leicester and Leicestershire Integrated Transport Model to assess the cumulative transport impacts of significant housing growth proposals across Charnwood, and constraints that flooding along the River Soar Valley imposes on the road network. The cumulative impacts and flooding issues particularly apply to the Soar valley villages of Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley and Sileby.

3.44. If the problems identified cannot be resolved by appropriate mitigating measures (either for an individual site or to off-set the cumulative impacts of a number of sites) then a particular location or even a settlement may be found unsuitable to accommodate future development growth.

25 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Conclusions on Transport Accessibility of Potential Service Centres

3.45. The main aspects of transport accessibility for each potential Service Centre are summarised in Table 2 below:

Table 2: Transport Accessibility Summaries for Potential Service Centres

Settlement Summary of Transport Accessibility Public transport  good accessibility for whole village by frequent bus service to Leicester. Fair access for eastern part of village by hourly bus service to Loughborough.

Walking & cycling  reasonable walking and cycling accessibility

Settlements within 5km of village centre:  Cropston, Thurcaston, Newtown Linford, parts of Glenfield and Beaumont Leys are all within 5km and have bus access to Anstey village centre

Anstey Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority is concerned there are significant traffic capacity problems at The Nook and some congestion and safety problems in and around the Anstey Lane/A46 junction. There is particular congestion in the morning peak on Anstey Lane as it approaches the City boundary. Without appropriate significant mitigation, these issues would be exacerbated by any further housing growth in the village; this could be a limiting factor on any housing growth options.  The Highways Agency during transport modelling work of growth options undertaken by MVA Consultancy expressed concerns that significant growth in the Anstey area could have significant implications for the A46 junction south of the village which is already congested at peak hours. Public transport  reasonable accessibility for most of the village to Leicester and Loughborough by half hourly bus and hourly rail routes and fair accessibility for most of the village to the hourly Loughborough-Thurmaston bus route.

Walking & cycling  reasonable walking and cycling accessibility Barrow upon

Soar Settlements within 5km of village centre  South Loughborough, Quorn, Sileby and Walton on the Wolds all are within 5km and have bus access. Burton on the Wolds, Prestwold and Cotes are within 5km but have no bus access to Barrow.

Roads and traffic  There are a number of issues in the village that are of particular concern to the

26 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Settlement Summary of Transport Accessibility Highway Authority, including:

- capacity constraints imposed by the shuttle-working traffic signals on the Barrow Road river bridge (structure is understood to be listed and therefore cannot be widened to alleviate the congestion problems); - capacity issues (inter-connected with the above) at the Barrow Road/South Street/High Street roundabout; - associated ‘rat-running’ along Cotes Road to access Loughborough; - difficulties/disruption caused when Slash Lane and Sileby Road are unavailable as routes to access the A6 due to flooding.  It is not readily apparent how these issues might be addressed in order to accommodate satisfactorily further housing growth in the village.  More widely, there is congestion along the A6 corridor, including heading into Loughborough in the morning peak. Public transport  reasonable accessibility for the whole of the village to the frequent Leicester- Syston- Melton Mowbray bus route.

Walking & cycling  reasonable walking and cycling accessibility

Settlements within 5km of the village centre  Syston, the western part of Queniborough and Rearsby are within 5km and East have bus access to East Goscote village centre. Barkby, Cossington, Ratcliffe Goscote on the Wreake and Thrussington are also within 5km but have no bus access.

Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority have not identified any significant problems in the village. Outside there are traffic issues on roads through Queniborough, Barkby and Barkby Thorpe, caused by traffic heading towards Leicester and seeking to avoid congestion on the A607/A46. The extent to which this may be an issue that warrants more detailed work in the future would depend on the scale of any housing proposals that may emerge from this Study. Public transport  reasonable accessibility for the whole village to half hourly bus route between Leicester- Loughborough-East Midlands Airport-Derby and hourly service from Loughborough to Nottingham.

Walking & cycling  reasonable walking and cycling accessibility Hathern

Settlements within 5km of village centre  Long Whatton, Zouch, Sutton Bonington and parts of north Loughborough are all within 5km of Hathern’s services and have access by bus.

Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority comment that in addition to vehicle speeds, there are

27 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Settlement Summary of Transport Accessibility some existing congestion problems in the village at the A6/Shepshed Road /Narrow Lane junction, which might be relatively straightforward to resolve. More widely, it is unclear at this stage whether the A6/A6006 traffic signal junction would have capacity to accommodate further housing growth in Hathern, and additional traffic travelling to /from M1 Junction 24 could impact on traffic conditions in the village and contribute further to the existing air quality problems in Kegworth. The extent to which these issues warrant more detailed work in the future would depend on the scale of any housing proposals emerging from this Study. Public transport  reasonable accessibility for the eastern part of village to frequent Leicester- Loughborough-Shepshed-Coalville and half hourly Rothley to Loughborough bus routes but western areas are less well served.

Walking & cycling  reasonable walking and cycling accessibility

Settlements within 5km of village centre  Quorn, Rothley and Sileby are within 5km and have access by bus. Cossington, Mountsorrel Cropston and Swithland are also within 5km but have no bus access to Mountsorrel.

Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority do not identify any significant problems in the village, apart from a number of junctions with substandard visibility (Halstead Road/ Rothley Road, Halstead Road/ Swithland Lane, Linkfield Road/ Rothley Road/ Mountsorrel Lane); excessive vehicle speeds on Halstead Road; and the unsuitability of Bond Street for increases in vehicular, pedestrian and cycle traffic. More widely, there is congestion along the A6 corridor, including heading into Loughborough in the morning peak. Public transport  reasonable accessibility by bus for central corridor of village by frequent Leicester- Loughborough-Shepshed-Coalville service and half hourly Rothley to Loughborough route. Western parts of village also served by hourly Leicester-Loughborough service via Charnwood Forest villages and eastern parts by half hourly Leicester-Loughborough bus route serving settlements on the eastern edge of Soar valley.

Quorn Walking & cycling  reasonable walking and cycling accessibility

Settlements within 5km of village centre  South Loughborough, Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel and Woodhouse are all within 5km and have bus access. Woodthorpe is also within 5km but does not have bus access

28 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Settlement Summary of Transport Accessibility Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority do not identify any significant problems in the village. More widely, there is congestion along the A6 corridor, including heading into Loughborough in the morning peak. Public transport  reasonable accessibility for whole of village to frequent Leicester- Loughborough-Shepshed-Coalville and half hourly Rothley to Loughborough bus routes.

Walking & cycling  reasonable walking and cycling accessibility

Rothley Settlements within 5km of village centre  Mountsorrel and north Birstall are within 5km and have bus access to Rothley village centre. Sileby, Wanlip, Cossington and Swithland are also within 5km but do have bus access to Rothley.

Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority do not identify any significant traffic problems in the village. More widely, there is congestion along the A6 corridor, including heading into Loughborough in the morning peak. Public transport  reasonable accessibility for most of the village to half hourly Leicester- Loughborough bus and hourly rail routes with all but southern part of village having fair accessibility by hourly Loughborough-Thurmaston bus route.

Walking & cycling  reasonable walking and cycling accessibility

Settlements within 5km of village centre  Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Seagrave and Cossington are within 5km of Sileby Sileby village centre and have bus access. Ratcliffe on the Wreake is also within 5km but does not have bus access to Sileby.

Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority point out that there are some substandard junctions in the centre of the village (including Mountsorrel Lane/Barrow Road and King Street/High Street/ Barrow Road), albeit there does not appear to be an accident problem at present. As with other settlements along the Soar valley, difficulties/disruption is caused when Slash Lane and Sileby Road are unavailable as routes to access the A6 due to flooding. Public transport  good overall access by variety of frequent/ hourly Leicester to Syston- East Goscote- Melton Mowbray bus routes and hourly Leicester-Loughborough Syston rail service with best access along the central corridor through the town.

29 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Settlement Summary of Transport Accessibility Walking & cycling  good walking and cycling accessibility

Settlements within 5km of the town centre  Thurmaston, East Goscote, west Queniborough, Rearsby, Ratcliffe on the Wreake and Barkby are within 5km and have bus access to the town centre. Barkby Thorpe is also within 5km but has no bus access.

Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority are aware of some congestion problems in and around the town centre, levels of which could be a limiting factor on options for further housing provision in and around the town. As noted in the comments on East Goscote, villages to the east of the town are impacted by traffic avoiding congestion on the A607/A46; the extent to which such wider issues warrant more detailed work in the future would depend on the scale of any housing proposals that may emerge from this Study. Public transport  fair accessibility for whole village to hourly Leicester-Loughborough bus route.

Walking & cycling  fair walking and cycling accessibility

Settlements within 5km of the village centre Woodhouse  Woodhouse and Swithland are within 5km of Woodhouse Eaves services and Eaves have bus access.

Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority is concerned that whilst there are no significant problems in the village, visibility is restricted at a number of junctions (particularly Maplewell Road/Main Street and Main Street/Forest Road), and the relative lack of services and facilities in the village is likely to result in any further housing growth adding traffic along fast rural roads. Public transport  fair accessibility for whole village to hourly Loughborough- Melton Mowbray- Grantham bus route.

Walking & cycling  fair walking and cycling accessibility

Wymeswold Settlements within 5km of village  Burton on the Wolds is within 5km of Wymeswold’s services and has bus access. Rempstone, Wysall and Willoughby are also within 5km but do not have bus access to Wymeswold.

Roads and traffic  The Highway Authority point out that the A6006 is a busy route linking the A46, A60 and A6, and volumes of HGVs are often an issue. There is no

30 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Settlement Summary of Transport Accessibility prospect of public funding for a bypass, and a bypass is unlikely to be achieved by developer funding related to housing growth in the village. Development in the village may have impacts on other settlements in the area, but the extent to which such wider issues warrant more detailed work in the future would depend on the scale of any housing proposals that may emerge from this Study.

c) Ability of Settlements to Function as a Service Centre

3.46. Catchment areas for doctors surgeries and secondary schools offer the best available information to help understand how a settlement functions.

3.47. Whilst each potential Service Centre has at least one primary school secondary provision is found in fewer settlements. Current high and upper school catchments are shown on Plan 3. Anstey Martin and Barrow Humphrey Perkins high schools teach 11-14 years. Quorn Rawlins upper school teaches 15-18 years. Only Syston Wreake Valley College teaches 11-18 years.

3.48. Doctors surgeries are located in all potential Service Centres apart from Rothley and Wymeswold.

3.49. Table 3 summarises the extent of catchment areas for secondary schools and doctors surgeries.

3.50. A degree of caution is needed in interpreting these results. Surgery catchments vary in extent and often overlap. Patients can choose their doctor. As an example East Goscote’s small surgery has an extensive catchment across Charnwood but this cannot be assumed to be representative of the wider role of the village.

3.51. Secondary school catchments defined by the county education authority are shown on Plan 3. These do not overlap but their definition takes no account of parental choices which are likely to distort the boundaries shown.

3.52. Other catchments for activities such as workplaces, services and shops may be quite different to those of schools and surgeries.

31 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Table 3: Main Destinations for Doctor’s Surgeries and Secondary Schools for Charnwood Communities outside Main Urban Areas

Secondary Secondary Doctors Surgery High Upper 11-14 years 15-18 years The Wolds Burton on the Wolds, Cotes, Barrow upon Soar (+East Barrow upon Quorn Hoton, Prestwold, Walton Leake, Keyworth in Soar on the Wolds, Wymeswold Rushcliffe) Barrow upon Soar, East Barrow upon Quorn Seagrave Goscote, Sileby, Syston Soar Wreake Valley & South East Charnwood Barkby, Barkby Thorpe, East Goscote, Syston Syston Syston Beeby, Queniborough, Rearsby, South Croxton Ratcliffe on the Wreake, East Goscote, Sileby, Syston Syston Syston Thrussington Soar Valley East Goscote, Mountsorrel, Barrow upon Quorn Cossington Sileby, Syston Soar Wanlip Birstall, East Goscote, Syston Birstall Birstall East Goscote, Mountsorrel, Barrow upon Quorn Mountsorrel Quorn, Sileby Soar Birstall, East Goscote, Birstall Birstall Rothley Mountsorrel, Quorn, Sileby, East Goscote, Mountsorrel, Barrow upon Quorn Sileby Sileby Soar South West Charnwood & Charnwood Forest Thurcaston Anstey, Birstall, East Goscote Anstey Birstall Anstey, Birstall, East Anstey Birstall Cropston Goscote, Mountsorrel Anstey, East Goscote, Groby Groby Newtown Linford Mountsorrel (+ Markfield, Groby in Hinckley Bosworth) Anstey, East Goscote, Barrow upon Quorn Swithland Mountsorrel, Quorn, Soar Woodhouse Eaves Woodhouse/Woodhouse East Goscote, Mountsorrel, Barrow upon Quorn Eaves Quorn, Woodhouse Eaves Soar North of Loughborough Hathern, Loughborough & Limehurst, Burleigh, Hathern Shepshed Loughborough Loughborough

32 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3.53. The results of a survey of users of the Wymeswold's post office and pharmacy facilities undertaken by Wymeswold Parish Council in June 2010 provide a useful indication of how the village functions. The survey results indicate that whilst Wymeswold offers a primary school, provision for some day to day shopping and limited post office facilities, the lack of a full time post office and other key services in close proximity (such as a main food store, secondary school, doctors surgery, fixed library and bank) mean most people have to travel elsewhere (especially to Loughborough, Barrow upon Soar and East Leake) with many car based trips notably between local villages because of the limited public transport services available. The survey's findings seem to confirm that Wymeswold plays a limited role as a local centre for residents of the village and nearby communities.

3.54. Comparable information is not currently available for other settlements covered in this Study.

Conclusions on the Suitability of Settlements as Service Centres

3.55. Current evidence shows Syston has the strongest centre and is the best served settlement assessed. It is the principal centre for south east Charnwood.

3.56. East Goscote has a small centre with reasonable services and facilities meeting some day to day needs including for Rearsby and Queniborough. However provision is weaker than larger settlements with populations of 4,000 to 12,800. Importantly the village lacks significant trip generators such as a supermarket or secondary school and is just 3km from Syston and reasonably close to Sileby.

3.57. Syston with a good range of services and facilities, a rail station plus good bus links to nine smaller villages within its catchment is a much more sustainable community than East Goscote. Overall the combination of a constrained service base, modest population of about 3,000, limited catchment and the strength of nearby Syston undermine East Goscote’s potential to act as a Service Centre. This supports the findings of the 2008 Settlement Hierarchy Review.

3.58. In the Soar valley area the villages of Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley and Sileby have populations between 4,000 to 8,250 and reasonable service bases. No single village acts as the principal centre. The cluster of villages between them offer good provision with overlapping catchments for different services and facilities. Some villages have a secondary school, others a supermarket, leisure facilities or stronger employment offers. The Soar valley villages are also able to serve many needs of people living in the nearby Wolds and Charnwood Forest areas.

33 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3.59. In south west Charnwood Anstey offers a reasonable range of services and facilities similar to the Soar valley Service Centres. Anstey is readily accessible to residents of nearby Newtown Linford, Cropston and Thurcaston and to a lesser degree Groby in Hinckley and Bosworth district.

3.60. Elsewhere Hathern, Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold are smaller villages with populations between 1,300 and 2,100. Each has a modest service and facility base but none has a cohesive village centre or retail core. The lack of supermarkets or other main destinations and their reasonable proximity to better served settlements within and outside Charnwood significantly weakens their ability to act as Service Centres.

3.61. In terms of transport access the Soar and Wreake valley settlements, Anstey and Hathern are generally well served and public transport, walking and cycling provide reasonable and in a few places good transport choices.

3.62. However peripheral parts of larger settlements are less well served by public transport and beyond 800m reasonable walking distance from services and facilities. Two examples are:

 Syston has the best overall transport accessibility of settlements assessed but residents of some peripheral areas are relatively remote from one or more of the town centre, rail station, secondary schools and places of employment.  Parts of west Mountsorrel have limited bus links and are relatively remote from the village centre. There are no direct bus links to the main supermarket north of the village nor employment areas. Southern parts of this long, linear village are also remote from the supermarket.

3.63. Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold have more limited transport choices but are smaller, walkable communities.

3.64. Traffic issues will need careful consideration when assessing development proposals in all settlements assessed but in particular Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, Hathern, Sileby, Syston and Wymeswold. The cumulative impacts of developments in different locations within the same settlement and across different settlements will also need to be assessed.

3.65. In conclusion the available evidence on the level of services and facilities, transport access and the ability of a settlement to serve a wider area clearly indicates seven settlements merit designation as Service Centres:

34 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley, Sileby and Syston

3.66. Taken together the plans showing non-residential point data (Plan 1), public transport access (Plan 2), school catchments (Plan 3) and catchment areas (Plan 4) illustrate well the relative importance of these settlements in Charnwood.

3.67. The other four villages assessed (East Goscote, Hathern, Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold) do not merit designation as Service Centres and should be placed below them in the settlement hierarchy.

3.68. These settlements could only be considered for designation as Service Centres if the deficiencies identified are overcome. In the case of East Goscote and Hathern there are likely to be particular difficulties in overcoming a lack of services and facilities given their close proximity to much better served centres. Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold being in remoter more rural locations require larger catchment populations, improved access by non-car modes and stronger service bases before they could be considered for designation as Service Centres.

3.69. The proposed Service Centres and 5km catchments are shown on Plan 4 together with 10 and 15km catchments for the nearest main urban centres. The Service Centres together with Loughborough, Shepshed and the Leicester Principal Urban Area including Birstall and Thurmaston have potential to serve almost all needs arising in Charnwood.

3.70. The few areas of Charnwood not within 5km of the centre of one or more of the proposed Service Centres or an equivalent centre just outside Charnwood are:

 Wymeswold and the east Wolds;  South Croxton and the east of Beeby parish;  Hathern.

3.71. However it is noted that:

 Wymeswold is within reasonable distance of Loughborough with hourly daytime bus services to the town centre via the rail station and towards Melton Mowbray. The village is reasonably close to local Service Centres at East Leake and Barrow upon Soar but has no bus links to them.  Hathern is close to Loughborough and Shepshed town centres with reasonable bus services to Loughborough but no bus links to Shepshed.  South Croxton and Beeby have hourly daytime bus services to Melton Mowbray, Syston, Thurmaston and Leicester city centre.

35 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 3.72. Only a relatively small, sparsely populated area of the Wolds around Six Hills is outside the catchment of any city, town and Service Centre. However much of this area is within 400m of the route of hourly Loughborough-Melton Mowbray bus services and about 10km from Loughborough town centre.

36 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 4. STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY IN POTENTIAL SERVICE CENTRES

Introduction

4.1. It is important to have a broad understanding of the capacity that is or might be made available in key elements of community infrastructure (transport, education, healthcare, greenspace and recreation, utilities, libraries and affordable housing) in Service Centres. Adequate infrastructure provision is needed to support Service Centres as sustainable communities.

4.2. Significant work was undertaken in the ‘2009 Leicester & Leicestershire HMA Authorities Growth Infrastructure Assessment (GIA)’ on the global infrastructure needs likely to be generated by major housing growth as envisaged in the Regional Spatial Strategy. The Report prioritised the relative importance of different elements of infrastructure in a range from ‘essential’ (10) through ‘highly desirable’ (8) down to ‘very tentative’ (1).

4.3. Key to the GIA were direct inputs from delivery partners, service and utilities providers, and key agencies such as the Highway Authorities on strategic issues, implications of the growth proposed, future plans and requirements and comments on delivery and funding issues. The Report did not flag up any showstoppers or significant issues affecting the potential Service Centres.

4.4. In preparing this Study the Growth Infrastructure Assessment information has been supplemented by updated material where this is available. Ongoing discussions primarily with the County Council as Local Education and Local Transport Authority and the Primary Care Trust on local healthcare have helped develop a better understanding of key local issues.

4.5. Other material has been sourced from recent Reports such as EMDA’s 2010 ‘Infrastructure Study for the East Midlands’. This Study6 considers broad impacts of Regional Spatial Strategy housing growth on critical infrastructure. Potential impacts at district level are identified. Growth of 15,800 dwellings by 2026 is assumed for Charnwood. The report makes clear the need for new investment will reflect the location of development relative to critical infrastructure networks.

6 The document is currently available on EMDA’s website at http://www.emda.org.uk/projects/details.asp?filevar=554

37 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Funding Infrastructure

4.6. In the past growth of settlements has all too often not been supported by adequate infrastructure. In planning for future growth it will be essential to avoid such problems. This will be challenging because of the significant costs involved and the multiplicity of agencies involved in delivering high quality infrastructure.

4.7. In difficult economic times funding from both the public and private sectors is likely to be constrained.

4.8. There are likely to be significant constraints on public funds for the foreseeable future. At the same time increasing demands are being placed on developer funding for necessary infrastructure and depressed land values limit funding contributions available from development.

Section 106 Planning Agreements

4.9. The Council currently negotiates contributions from developers using legally binding S106 Agreements under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Under the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations (April 2010) planning contributions secured under S106 of the Act must meet all the following tests:-

i) necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms; ii) directly related to the development; iii) fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development.

Community Infrastructure Levy

4.10. The Community Infrastructure Levy7 guidance (April 2010) empowers local authorities to raise charges on most types of development. Charges are based on a simple formula relating the charge to the size and character of the development. Proceeds can be spent on local and sub-regional infrastructure supporting development of an area. The levy is considered fairer, avoiding the problems of S106 agreements where only some developments contribute to necessary infrastructure.

4.11. The government has made provision in the 2011 Localism Bill to simplify planning obligations into a unified tariff. This tariff could apply to all types of development with rates graded according to the size of development. The expectation is for agreed tariff rates to become part of local planning policy. A percentage of income may pass down to help fund local improvements. Affordable housing, self building and development by Local Housing Trusts might be exempt.

7 See http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/communityinfrastructurelevy.pdf

38 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 New Homes Bonus

4.12. In 2011 the government introduced a bonus scheme to reward those local authorities that deliver sustainable housing developments. They believe the current local government finance system does not incentivise councils to provide new homes and that where growth is promoted little of the economic gain benefits the local community. Consequently residents seeing greater strain on services and reduced amenities tend to oppose development.

4.13. Initial analysis of the Bonus methodology estimated from the current net build rate of 560 dwellings per annum in Charnwood estimated about £839k would be yielded, amounting cumulatively to £17.6m over six years. However using the suggested split of 80% : 20% of the bonus between Charnwood Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council the annual amount falls to £672k and the cumulative figure to £14.1m – but these would not all be additional funds. Related reductions in formula grant suggest a net gain of just £1.55m over six years.

4.14. Overall allowing for all various funding sources it seems likely that only substantial new housing developments might be capable of funding infrastructure provision without recourse to public funding.

Infrastructure Needed to Support Growth in Service Centres

4.15. Further consultations with infrastructure agencies in spring 2010 yielded limited new information on the implications of possible growth and delivery issues. Most Town and Parish Councils identified some local deficiencies. Key points are included in the ‘Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats’ (SWOT) analyses of local issues for settlements in Appendix 6.

4.16. Key infrastructure issues relate to the ability of settlements to accommodate growth in terms of the capacity available, or needed, in terms of:

 Transport (considered at Stage 1b) above);  primary & secondary education;  flood protection;  doctor’s surgeries;  libraries;  green infrastructure - recreation, sport and open space provision;  utilities (electricity, gas, water supply, sewage & drainage).

4.17. Provision for affordable housing is an important local issue that also needs to be considered.

39 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Transport

4.18. Transport issues have already been considered in paras 2.14 to 2.44 above.

Primary and Secondary Education

4.19. The 2009 Growth Infrastructure Assessment identified school provision as ‘essential’.

4.20. Catchments for local schools are based on parish boundaries. Currently for primary schools the catchment is currently the settlement in which the school is located whilst secondary schools serve groups of settlements. The catchments for high and upper secondary schools are shown on Plan 3.

4.21. Leicestershire County Council has the statutory responsibility to provide pupil places for Leicestershire pupils.

4.22. When a new housing development is proposed the developer may have an obligation to contribute towards the local education provision under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

4.23. The developer contribution is collected towards creating additional places and/or enhancing/improving education facilities for those additional children as a result of the development; where they cannot be accommodated within their arising catchment school or schools within their locality. On the other hand, if reorganisation to an existing school is not possible consideration will be given by the County Council to alternative school reorganisation options.

4.24. The negotiation of S106 agreements with developers is primarily the responsibility of district councils. However districts work closely with the County Council to consider the impact of additional housing on education provision. The County Council advise the Borough Council on the current capacity of schools within a development area and calculate the amount per pupil based on the government’s Department for Education cost multipliers.

4.25. The settlements under consideration currently have the following educational provision:

40 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Anstey The village has two primary schools and a high school for pupils aged 11-14. Upper school provision for 14-18 years is at Longslade Community College, Birstall. Barrow upon Soar The village has two primary schools and a high school for pupils aged 11-14. Upper school provision for 14-18 years is at Rawlins Community College, Quorn. East Goscote The village has one primary school, high school and upper school provision for 11-18 years is at Wreake Valley Community College, Syston. Hathern The village has one primary school, high school provision for pupils aged 11-14 is at Limehurst High School, Loughborough and upper school provision for 14 -18 years is at Burleigh Community College, Loughborough. Mountsorrel The village has one primary school, high school provision for pupils aged 11-14 at Humphrey Perkins, Barrow upon Soar and Upper school provision for 14-18 years is at Rawlins Community College, Quorn. Quorn The village has one primary school, high school provision for pupils aged 11-14 at Humphrey Perkins, Barrow upon Soar and Upper school provision for 14-18 years is at Rawlins Community College, Quorn. Rothley The village has one primary school, high school provision for pupils aged 11-14 at Stonehill High, Birstall and Upper school provision for 14-18 years is at Longslade Community College, Birstall. Sileby The village has two primary schools, high school provision for pupils aged 11-14 at Humphrey Perkins, Barrow upon Soar and Upper school provision for 14-18 years is at Rawlins Community College, Quorn. Syston The village has two primary schools, high school provision for pupils aged 11-14. At Roundhill Community College, Thurmaston and High & Upper school provision for 11-18 years is at Wreake Valley Community College, Syston. Woodhouse Eaves The village has one primary school, high school provision for pupils aged 11-14 at Humphrey Perkins, Barrow upon Soar and Upper school provision for 14-18 years is at Rawlins Community College, Quorn. Wymeswold The village has one primary school, high school provision for pupils aged 11-14 at Humphrey Perkins, Barrow upon Soar and Upper school provision for 14-18 years is at Rawlins Community College, Quorn.

4.26. Under the current education structure new housing in any of the proposed Service Centres will impact directly on the local primary school(s). The situation for secondary education is more complicated because of the cumulative impact of development in different villages.

41 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 4.27. This assessment does not seek to quantify school capacity issues because of considerable uncertainties about the future planning of local education, the increasing influence of parental choice in choosing schools and other material considerations. At this stage the initial indications are that sufficient school capacity could be provided in some form to serve further growth in the proposed Service Centres. However more detailed work will be needed when potential locations for development are assessed in subsequent development plan documents to establish exactly how additional capacity would be provided.

Flood Protection

4.28. The Growth Infrastructure Assessment identifies flood defences as ‘essential’. The Report does not identify any showstoppers for the general growth proposals considered. However it points out that consideration of individual development proposals impacting on floodplains may generate objections from the Environment Agency.

4.29. The East Midlands Development Agency’s Infrastructure Study considers flood protection as part of critical infrastructure. The Study based on the 2006 regional flood risk appraisal confirms Charnwood has medium risk of all types of flooding.

4.30. Significant areas of Charnwood face fluvial flood risks because of their proximity to the Soar and Wreake river valleys and their tributaries. Most potential Service Centres are located close to floodplain areas. The boundaries of functional floodplain as defined by the Environment Agency are shown on Plans 5 to 16 for each settlement.

4.31. Flood zone maps illustrating local flooding probability are the basis for the Agency’s advice on potential development. New development proposals are currently assessed using the sequential test set out in PPS25 ‘Development and Flood Risk’. The overriding aim is to manage flood risk by locating all new development in areas of lowest flood risk. Flood protection measures are assessed in terms of the economic cost of development to be protected.

4.32. The Borough Council is working in partnership with other agencies to prepare a Surface Water Management Plan for Charnwood. The Plan provides a tool to better manage surface water flood risk by better co-ordination between agencies. It takes account of the Borough Council’s Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and the Environment Agency’s Catchment Flood Management Plan.

4.33. On the basis of current evidence flooding issues do not rule out development in any potential Service Centre. However they will be a significant factor when considering specific locations apart from perhaps in Woodhouse Eaves.

42 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Doctors Surgeries

4.34. In the Growth Infrastructure Assessment local healthcare is ‘highly desirable’ provision. Population growth from new housing has a direct impact on doctors surgeries.

4.35. The Primary Care Trust is currently responsible for developing premises. They have provided an overview of existing provision and possible implications of further housing growth. However major restructuring of the NHS proposed by the government could see the abolition of strategic health authorities and primary care trusts. GP doctors would take greater responsibility for management and funding of local healthcare.

4.36. Under existing arrangements the Trust’s investment plan does not include any new surgery provision outside Loughborough over the next 3-5 years. An assessment of capacity of current surgeries is set out below. Each surgery has a catchment from within which it will accept patients and catchments vary significantly in size. Some surgeries cover a significant geographical area and boundaries often overlap.

4.37. The PCT’s general assessment shown in Table 4 below suggests less significant capacity issues for surgeries at Anstey, East Goscote, Hathern, Quorn, Sileby, Syston and Woodhouse Eaves. From this information the main areas of concern appear to be Barrow upon Soar (which also serves Wymeswold) and Mountsorrel (which also serves Rothley).

4.38. However the Table also indicates that at a number of the local surgeries GPs have started to raise capacity issues. This information is particularly relevant in areas:

 Where housing developments have already started to impact further on capacity for example Quorn and Sileby  Where further development in various areas would impact on the same GP practices for example Barrow upon Soar and Mountsorrel  Where a disproportionate growth in housing would be problematic if a village is served by a small practice with a limited surgery facility where capacity issues have already been identified for example Woodhouse Eaves

4.39. It is not feasible to identify how new capacity might be delivered until specific locations for growth and the amount of development are known. The most likely outcome is for additional capacity to be provided by extending existing facilities using financial contributions from developers.

4.40. The PCT no longer seeks to negotiate S106 contributions from new housing schemes using a per dwelling formula. Rather the PCT tailors its responses to how the impact of specific developments will need to be mitigated in the surgeries most likely to be affected.

43 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Table 4: Accessibility and Capacity of Doctors Surgeries in Potential Service Centres

Current Surgery Capacity Current Capacity Access to surgery in Identified using PCT’s Issues indicated by terms of location Settlement traffic light system GPs at surgery (Easy, reasonable, or (Red, deep amber, light difficult) amber, green) Anstey Easy Barrow upon Yes Easy Soar East Goscote Easy Hathern Easy Practice 1 Yes Mountsorrel Easy Practice 2 Yes Reasonable (From east of village No provision in village. regular bus links to Served by a number of Rothley Quorn, Mountsorrel & surrounding practices with Birstall and hourly bus various premises issues service to Sileby and Barrow) Quorn Easy Yes Practice 1 Yes Sileby Easy Practice 2 Yes Syston Easy Woodhouse Yes Easy Eaves Reasonable (but no bus No provision in village. Yes Wymeswold link to Barrow) Served by Barrow practice

Note:

The traffic light assessment of capacity identifies the current status of buildings:

Facilities most in need of development

Facilities in need of development but where investment would need to be linked to other Trust priorities Facilities less in need of development but proposals would need to be linked to other Trust priorities Facilities not needing further investment within the timescale of this planning process

44 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Libraries

4.41. The Growth Infrastructure Assessment identifies library provision as ‘highly desirable’.

4.42. Modern libraries act as important community hubs. As substantial new development is required to justify a new library in potential Service Centre expansion of existing library facilities is more likely to be justified. The Growth Infrastructure Assessment found an additional 140 dwellings at Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, Quorn, Rothley and Sileby might require enhancement of the library in each village.

4.43. The County Council sought contributions from promoters of recent housing applications at Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Rothley and Sileby to fund necessary library refurbishments including equipment. In 2010 contributions were estimated at rates from £27.18 per I bed dwg to £63.41 per 3/4/5 bed dwg. Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold are served by mobile library services.

Green Infrastructure

4.44. The Growth Infrastructure Assessment identifies green infrastructure as ‘desirable’. Shortfalls are identified across Leicestershire with inadequate public funding to address them.

4.45. A summary of the main findings of the Borough Council’s ‘PPG17 Open Space, Sport and Recreation Study (Nov 2010)’ applicable to the potential Service Centres is included at Appendix 5. The new Study assesses current provision against PPG17 standards to identify deficiencies in quantity and quality of different types of provision. All potential Service Centres have deficiencies in some aspects of green infrastructure.

4.46. Difficult economic conditions mean opportunities to address deficiencies through public funding will be very limited for the foreseeable future. However new development areas will be expected to incorporate green infrastructure and/ or make appropriate funding contributions towards provision. As a result development could help address some of the many deficiencies identified.

Utilities (electricity, gas, water supply, sewage & drainage)

4.47. The Growth Infrastructure Assessment does not prioritise utilities as costs are generally covered by the private sector implementing developments. An equitable spread of costs is needed across different site developers with proper forward planning so suppliers have advance warning of phasing.

45 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 4.48. EMDA’s Regional Infrastructure Study considers water distribution and supply, sewage treatment, electricity and gas distribution and broadband access as critical infrastructure. The broad implications of an additional 15,800 dwellings in Charnwood across the extensive network areas of infrastructure providers are indicated in Table 5 below. These cannot be extrapolated to individual settlements because of local variations in provision.

Table 5: EMDA Infrastructure Study for the East Midlands (Aug 2010): Broad Implications for the Provision of Critical Infrastructure in Charnwood

Type of Critical Infrastructure Broad Implications for Charnwood Assuming planned investment takes place there will be a surplus Water distribution and supply of water supply throughout the planning period after 2010 There is likely to be at least one large sewage treatment work Sewage treatment at risk of inadequate capacity but none at high risk (1) For electricity Charnwood has demand and capacity issues that may result in capacity problems unless interventions are provided. Potential problems may be reduced by the provision Electricity and gas distribution of on-site and renewable resources within new developments. For gas the whole of the East Midlands is assumed to be at low risk. This is because of the lack of data on spatial variations in distribution networks. Charnwood is considered a low risk area for broadband access as exchanges have four or more operators. Charnwood is also a low risk area for high quality internet Broadband access access to support future economic development. Over 50% of the Borough has the necessary service levels. Rural areas are likely to have less broadband provision

Note (1) The Growth Infrastructure Assessment indicated Wanlip Sewage Treatment Works serving much of south Charnwood has considerable spare capacity.

4.49. The only responses to the current Service Centre Assessments were from gas and electricity suppliers did not identify showstoppers or significant issues in any potential Service Centre.

46 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Affordable Housing

4.50. A significant proportion of new housing will need to be affordable homes to help meet the known shortfall in Charnwood. Figures in the Affordable Housing Topic Paper suggest the shortfall over the original 20 year plan period to 2026 was an average of 157 dwellings per annum. However in order to clear this backlog more quickly need rises significantly to 382 dwellings per annum in the first 7 years. It is not possible to break these figures down below borough level,

4.51. The proportion of affordable homes needed in developments is expressed as a percentage. The current policy of ensuring 30% of all new houses are affordable is under review as part of LDF preparation. The new approach will take account of variations in the viability of housing sites across Charnwood established in the Affordable Housing Viability Assessment (2010). Highest requirements are likely in high value housing market areas and lowest where values are lower. Proposed Service Centres are mainly located in medium value market areas covering the Leicester fringe villages and the Soar Valley.

Conclusions on Infrastructure Provision

4.52. There is insufficient information currently available to establish the full implications of further housing growth for infrastructure provision in Service Centres. It is clear further capacity will be needed in various types of infrastructure. However from information available there do not appear to be constraints of such significance as to override the need for any further development in the settlements under consideration. Only after detailed work on the suitability of specific locations will a better understanding emerge.

4.53. The assessments of critical infrastructure in EMDA’s regional study suggest Charnwood is top of the ‘medium risk’ East Midlands local authorities in terms of capacity in utilities and flood protection. The findings suggest building an additional 15,800 dwellings in Charnwood by 2026 would lead to a marginal supply/demand balance with potential to move towards deficit over time. Deficits appear least likely for gas supply and broadband but problems may arise for water supply, flood protection, waste water and electricity distribution. Clearly if housing numbers change significantly these findings will need to be reviewed.

4.54. Provision of new infrastructure in potential Service Centres will depend on the availability of public and developer funding. With public funding heavily constrained for the foreseeable future new developments may help by making provision or via funding contributions.

47 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 5. STAGE 3: ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED FOR NEW EMPLOYMENT LAND BY 2028 TO IMPROVE THE BALANCE BETWEEN HOMES AND JOBS IN SETTLEMENTS

Introduction

5.1. For a settlement to be a sustainable community it is desirable there is a reasonable balance between homes and jobs. It is also important that employment is reasonably close to shops, services and facilities. Without this balance communities are less sustainable with significant out-commuting contributing to congestion problems on the road network. There can also be reduced use of local services and facilities which may threaten their viability.

5.2. At the outset it needs to be emphasised that the intelligence on employment land issues is not as well developed as for housing. This creates real problems in aligning different datasets. Given the limited guidance available at national or regional levels on employment land issues a number of research studies have been commissioned by authorities in the East Midlands to provide better evidence. Reference is made in this section to these Studies where appropriate most notably work by PACEC and Warwick Business Management Ltd in 2008 and 2011 on employment land provision in Leicester and Leicestershire.

5.3. The 2008 Further Consultation Core Strategy did not specify any future employment land needs in Service Centres. The approach proposed was to manage and maintain the level of employment land in Charnwood to 2026. The amount of employment land lost to alternative uses would be established and provision rebalanced in those communities where local demand was evident and where there was good access to public transport and arrange of services and facilities available. Suitable locations within and adjoining settlements would be allocated in the Site Allocations Development Plan Document.

5.4. In order to provide justification for any new employment land provision in Service Centres the inter-related topics considered in this section are:

a) the scope for replacing employment land lost over the past 15 to 20 years; b) meeting the needs generated by housing growth, structural changes in the economy and high levels of out-commuting from Charnwood and because the employment land needs of Leicester City that cannot be met within City limits c) matching skill levels to employment offers. d) the potential contribution of new technologies notably access to high speed broadband as the basis for greater home based employment activities.

48 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 a) The Scope for Replacing Employment Land Lost Over the Past 15 to 20 Years

5.5. Traditionally most settlements in Charnwood had a good balance between housing and local employment and few people needed to commute for work. However over the last 15 years many brownfield employment sites have been redeveloped usually for housing and new employment provision has not made up for losses.

5.6. Table 6 below illustrates the main changes in employment land provision since 1991. Only East Goscote, Rothley and Syston have new provision exceeding losses of existing sites. Anstey, Mountsorrel and Sileby had the most significant losses although Mountsorrel has modest new provision coming forward. Barrow upon Soar and Quorn show slight losses, Hathern and Woodhouse Eaves show no change. Boroughwide about 10ha more primary employment land was lost than provided in the period 1991-2009.

5.7. At 31st March 2009 32.6 ha of land was available in Charnwood for future needs.

5.8. The above changes take no account of other factors such as additional population growth, changes in local job numbers from other sources8, and variations in job densities9. At April 2010 business rate returns indicated about 10% of existing commercial properties in Charnwood were vacant. All these factors will influence the amount of new land needed for employment purposes.

5.9. Table 7 below summarises changes in housing and population since 1991. Wymeswold has experienced quite significant population growth of about 25%. The other small settlements Hathern, East Goscote and Woodhouse Eaves have each taken less than 100 dwellings. Hathern had modest population growth whilst East Goscote and Woodhouse Eaves had slight falls.

5.10. Anstey, Quorn and Rothley have each taken about 400 dwellings with population growth in proportion to their relative sizes. Barrow upon Soar and Sileby have each taken over 600 dwellings and about 20% population growth. Mountsorrel and Syston, the two largest potential Service Centres in 2009, have each taken over 1100 dwellings. Mountsorrel’s population rose by nearly 37% to over 8,250 and Syston’s population by about 20% to over 12,900. These rates are significantly more than the 15% growth in Charnwood’s population 1991-2009.

8 In general terms B Class employment land generates about half new jobs with the balance coming from sectors such as health, hotels and catering, retailing, education and tourism. 9 Job densities have been falling over time. As an example the job density for a large new site such as Rothley Lodge at Rothley is significantly lower than for many lost manufacturing sites.

49 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Table 6: Changes in B Class Employment Land in Potential Service Centres 1995 to 2010

Primary employment % of total New Net change in New land lost area of employment employment employment 1991 -2010 employment Settlement land built land land committed Area in ha land lost in 1991 – 2009 1991-2009/10 at March 2009 (number of Charnwood (ha) (ha) (ha) sites in 1991-2010 brackets) Anstey 3.52 (8) 4.8% 0 -3.52 0 Barrow upon 0.85 (2) 1.1% 0 -0.85 0 Soar 4.2 East Goscote 0.9 (1) 1.2% 1.2 0.3 The Warren Hathern 0 (0) 0% 0 0 0 1.2 Mountsorrel 8.79 (5) 11.9% 3.8 -4.99 Granite Way Quorn 0.67 (1) 0.9% 0 -0.67 0 6.0 Rothley 1.41 (3) 1.9% 7.0 5.59 Rothley Lodge Sileby (a) 7.99 (9) 10.8% 0 -7.99 0 6.6 Syston (b) 5.16 (8) 7.0% 7.2 -2.04 Watermead Woodhouse 0 (0) 0% 0 0 0 Eaves Wymeswold 0 (0) 0% 0.5 0.5 0 Charnwood 74.05 (101) 100% 64.3 -9.75 32.6

Notes (a) Site at 36 Charles Street granted permission for housing but not implemented to date (b) Sites at 12/12a Brook Street and 1142 Melton Road granted permission for housing but not implemented to date

5.11. Mountsorrel and Syston each accommodated about 8% of Charnwood’s overall population growth over the last 20 years. During the same period the five Soar valley settlements took about a quarter of the Borough’s growth, the most outside Loughborough. Between 1991 and 2009 potential Service Centres accounted for just under 9000 dwellings or about 43% of the Borough’s growth.

5.12. At 31st March 2010 the potential Service Centres had housing commitments of 1129 dwellings or c32% of Charnwood’s total. The slower rate of growth relative to the recent past is mainly due to completion of schemes allocated in the 1990s and major housing allocations coming forward at Loughborough and north of Birstall. The main commitments in potential Service Centres are just under 100 dwellings at

50 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Mountsorrel, over 100 dwellings at Anstey, c150 dwellings at Rothley and Sileby, just under 200 dwellings at Barrow upon Soar and over 300 dwellings at Syston.

5.13. Rothley and Syston have modest amounts of employment land coming forward but this was allocated to support housing growth in the 1990s.

5.14. The information in Tables 6 and 7 help illustrate changes over the past 20 years and show the seven larger settlements over 3,000 population (Anstey, Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Quorn, Rothley, Sileby and Syston) have taken the most population and housing growth.

5.15. Planning of new employment land in any settlement or group of settlements should take account of existing locally accessible job opportunities. Table 8 below shows most potential Service Centres are close to existing employment provision in other settlements. Barrow, Quorn and Hathern are readily accessible to Loughborough, Syston is near to Thurmaston and Anstey close to provision in Leicester. In the Soar and Wreake valleys settlements are close to each other and employment areas are well placed to serve a number of places. Woodhouse Eaves and Wymeswold are more remote from main sources of employment and homeworking is likely to be more significant.

5.16. Only ward based data is available on changes in the number of local jobs over time. This data may not equate to settlements as most wards contain parts of more than one settlement. Although the Annual Business Inquiry data gives a reasonable indication of overall jobs information for wards covering the same areas it is only available for 2003 to 2008. The 2008 data in Table 9 below shows limited changes from 2005 data used in the 2007 Settlement Hierarchy Assessment. The only significant increase in aggregated data for Syston is probably due to Pontylue Farm business park and new retail provision.

5.17. Overall potential Service Centres do not have good self containment with a balanced number of local jobs and size of resident workforce. The best performing settlements (Syston, East Goscote, Wymeswold and possibly Quorn) seem to have 50-70% of the jobs needed. Syston is best balanced despite its proximity to Leicester. The worst performing villages (Anstey, Mountsorrel and Sileby) have less than 33% of jobs needed.10. These traditionally well balanced communities have become dormitories primarily for Leicester. Although there is no specific figure for Mountsorrel the village seems to have the lowest ratio of jobs to resident workforce reflecting significant population growth and loss of employment sites. Every conversion of employment

10 Comparison of 2005 Annual Business Inquiry data on jobs and Census 2001travel to work data suggested that by 2005 a significant proportion of jobs were in individual businesses and homeworking, the main areas of jobs growth.

51 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 land to housing has a double impact on local balance because jobs go down and population goes up

Table 7: Population and Housing Changes in Potential Service Centres 1991-2010

Housing Total Dwellings Estimated Population commitments increase built on ex Estimated Population growth 1991- @ 3/2010 in employment 2009 increase 2009 as % of (dwellings on housing sites 1991- population 1991-2009 Charnwood ex 1991- 2010 (% change) total employment 2010 (% of total) sites) 123 (13) Anstey 6691 499 (8.1%) 1.93% 422 188 (44.5%) (note 1) Barrow upon 985 5758 3.80% 619 14 (2.3%) 196 (36) Soar (20.6%) East Goscote 2968 -72 (-2.3%) - 95 32 (33.7%) 0 (0) Hathern 1962 171 (9.5%) 0.66% 93 0 (0%) 21 (0) 2223 Mountsorrel 8256 8.58% 1163 232 (19.9%) 97 (42) (36.9%) 782 Quorn 5396 3.02% 420 25 (6.0%) 40 (0) (17.0%) 942 Rothley 4083 3.63% 401 63 (15.7%) 168 (0) (30.0%) 1300 149 (47) Sileby 8002 5.02% 649 275 (42.3%) (19.4%) (note 2) 2005 Syston 12905 7.74% 1107 203 (18.3%) 328 (14) (18.4%) Woodhouse -106 (- 2109 - 57 0 (0%) 5 (0) Eaves 4.8%) 261 Wymeswold 1324 1.01% 144 0 (0%) 3 (0) (24.5%) Totals for potential 8990 59454 34.68% 5090 1032 (20.0%) 1129 (152) Service (17.8%) Centres 25921 Charnwood 167727 100.00% 11,803 n/a 3575 (n/a) (15.4%)

Notes Note 1: The Gladstone Street site is no longer in employment use but planning permission has recently lapsed Note 2: This includes 33 dwellings at The Maltings no longer in employment use but planning permission has recently lapsed

52 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Table 8: Significant Existing Employment Sources within 5km of each Potential Service Centre

Settlement Employment sources within 5km of settlement  Beaumont Leys, Leicester Anstey  County Hall, Glenfield  Glenfrith Hospital, Leicester Barrow upon Soar  East Loughborough  Ex-Rearsby Airfield, Rearsby East Goscote  Syston  Cossington Edge  North Loughborough Hathern  Loughborough Town Centre  Shepshed  Rothley Lodge, Rothley Mountsorrel  Sileby Road, Barrow upon Soar  Loughborough town centre Quorn  Loughborough University  Hayhill, Sileby Road, Barrow upon Soar  Cossington Edge Rothley  Proposed employment area at Hallam Fields, north of Birstall  Rothley Lodge, Rothley Sileby  Cossington Edge  Hayhill, Sileby Road, Barrow upon Soar  East Thurmaston  Thurmaston District Centre Syston  East Goscote  Cossington Edge Woodhouse Eaves  None Wymeswold  Wymeswold (Airfield) Business Park

53 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Table 9: Changes in the Balance between Workforce and Jobs in Potential Service Centres 2005-2008

Ratio of Economically Ratio of 2005 Jobs 2005 2008 jobs active jobs to 2001 Jobs Change (Annual to 2001 Ward residents economically 2008 in ratio Business economical (2001 active (ABI) 2005-08 Inquiry) ly active Census) residents residents Anstey 3065 1,000 0.33 1000 0.33 0.00 Barrow & Sileby 3033 1,350 0.45 1300 0.43 -0.02 West East Goscote 1676 800 0.48 900 0.54 0.06 Forest Bradgate (incl Wood 1467 800 0.55 900 0.61 0.07 Eaves) Mountsorrel 3650 600 0.16 500 0.14 -0.03 Quorn and Mountsorrel 3157 2,500 0.79 2700 0.86 0.06 Castle Rothley and 2946 1,350 0.46 1400 0.48 0.02 Thurcaston Sileby 3381 1,000 0.30 1100 0.33 0.03 Syston East 3087 850 0.28 900 0.29 0.02 Syston West 3200 3,000 0.94 4100 1.28 0.34 The Wolds 1489 1,050 0.71 1000 0.67 -0.03 (incl Wymeswold CHARNWOOD 76799 58,450 0.76 61100 0.80 0.04

5.18. It is not possible to specify likely market demand for additional employment land particularly during a period of economic uncertainty.

b) Meeting Needs Generated by Structural Changes in the Economy & High Levels of Out-commuting

5.19. Population projections for the approved regional spatial strategy suggest that across the Leicestershire housing market area the main priorities for new economic development are to develop and restructure the economy and provide opportunities for business growth. The indications are that unless new housing is substantial in scale complementary employment provision is not needed. These findings suggest that the level of new housing likely in individual Service Centres would generate only a modest increase in the workforce and therefore limited need for more employment land. Only where Service Centres are close together might the cumulative increase in housing create a need for complementary employment land provision.

54 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 5.20. The 2008 PACEC Leicester and Leicestershire Employment Land Study Report estimated a need for 120 hectares of new employment land in Charnwood by 2026 to help meet the overall strategic needs of the HMA. Work to date suggests 120 hectares could be provided by Sustainable Urban Extensions at Loughborough and Leicester and a Science Park extension at Loughborough. Whilst there is no need to provide employment land in Service Centres to meet the strategic needs some flexibility is reasonable to release additional land where a clear local need is identified.

5.21. Evidence including a University of Lincoln Study into Secondary Centres of Economic Activity in the East Midlands (2009) points to a lack of suitable job opportunities in Charnwood and significant daily out-commuting primarily to Leicester. Locally information based on 2008 population projections suggests that the overall employment land requirements suggested by PACEC were largely correct (it calculated a requirement for 103 ha with a reserve of 23 ha) but the 120 ha allocation. Should be redistributed. On this basis the top priority locations for more employment appear to be Loughborough, Shepshed and Mountsorrel to help reduce unsustainable longer distance commuting to Leicester. Other appropriate locations may be Sileby, then Anstey and Barrow upon Soar. These settlements are considered large enough at present to support more local employment and so improve their sustainability. Syston and Thurmaston already provide a good number of jobs for residents. This indication of priorities is open to debate and subject to the availability of suitable sites.

5.22. So far as the potential Service Centres are concerned more new employment land is suggested at Mountsorrel (9-10 hectares) and Anstey (6-7 hectares) than Barrow upon Soar and Sileby (4 hectares total). All provision should be for a mix of offices and small industrial units which seem best suited to these locations. It is estimated provision at Mountsorrel and Anstey might create about 5,000 jobs with Barrow upon Soar and Sileby contributing a further 1,000-1,500 jobs.

5.23. These proposals generally accord with the findings of transport modelling work undertaken by MVA Consultancy to assess the potential impact of significant new employment land as part of a Sustainable Urban Extension on the edge of Leicester. MVA Consultancy found that the larger the new strategic employment land allocation the greater the number of dispersed traffic movements from across Charnwood. The findings suggest smaller sites in Charnwood settlements would reduce commuting11.

11 See http://www.charnwood.gov.uk/files/documents/south_charnwood_transport_assessment_technical_note/Transport%20Ass essments%20in%20Southern%20Charnwood%20for%20the%202026%20LDF%20Addendum%20%28%20Split%20options%2 9.pdf in particular para 4.20.

55 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 c) Employment Type - Matching Skill Levels to Employment Offers

5.24. In response to the Scoping Report the Government Office for the East Midlands suggested this Study should consider the potential to match the skill levels of settlements to their employment offers in order to reduce the prospect of out- commuting. This follows on from Ptolemy land use modelling showing significant new developments within Classes B2 and B8 of the Use Classes Order on the periphery of Leicester are likely to attract out-commuters from Leicester rather than provide local employment suitable for nearby residents.

5.25. For this study a lack of detailed evidence available on skill bases for settlements makes it difficult to identify the types of employment activity best suited to different locations. Most jobs lost from these settlements have been in traditional textile and engineering sectors. With training existing skills should be transferrable to modern activities. The emphasis in developing new employment land should be on providing industrial and perhaps small/medium office units, including starter and grow-on units, to meet local needs in these settlements. However new provision needs to be self sustaining over time without entrenchment or expansion by amalgamation of units as has happened in the past. Initiatives such as Local Innovation Centres provide a high level of intervention to ensure dynamic progression of businesses. There may also be scope to bring redundant farm buildings to support local business growth.

5.26. Warehousing with lower job densities and significant office schemes are not considered appropriate and should be directed to main urban areas.

d) The role of new technologies, notably access to broadband

5.27. A lack of high speed broadband access is an important constraint for the development of new businesses particularly those that are home based. If broadband access is poor residents who might work from home or a local office centre will need to travel away to work adding to already significant out-commuting levels. Improving the connectivity of local service centres will also benefit nearby rural areas.

5.28. The establishment of organisations such as the Homeworking & Small Business Alliance based in Market Harborough 12 can enable homeworkers and small business groups to get together to share ideas and highlight new developments.

5.29. Where broadband access is very good and there is real potential for greater take up of remote and flexible working the need for additional employment land may be reduced.

12 See http://hsba.biz/ for more information on this initiative.

56 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 5.30. New employment areas may provide suitable locations for various kinds of local micro generation equipment enabling diversification of energy sources available to the host community.

Conclusions on Employment Issues

5.31. It is evident insufficient jobs are available in most potential Service Centres to enable most people to work locally even allowing for the growth of home and flexible working made possible by improved broadband access. Many people still travel to work in nearby urban centres primarily Leicester and to a lesser degree Loughborough. As a result these settlements have become less sustainable communities and some local services are less viable as fewer residents use them during daytime. There is also increased traffic congestion in and out of main urban areas at peak times.

5.32. Having regard to losses and gains of employment land, levels of population and housing growth and work undertaken for the Charnwood Draft Economic Strategy the case for allocating B class employment land is strongest in Anstey, Barrow upon Soar Mountsorrel and Sileby. The amount of additional employment land provided will need to be sufficient to address a number of issues, primarily:

 past losses of employment land;  the balance between the resident workforce and local job opportunities;  the need to reduce the levels of out-commuting to jobs outside Charnwood.

5.33. There is insufficient information to accurately quantify the amount of new employment land needed. However this needs to provide space for an appropriate mix of employment uses that attract and support living and working locally. This is more likely to include medium, small and micro businesses.

5.34. Anstey, Barrow upon Soar Mountsorrel and Sileby are the same villages where this study finds more employment land could improve self containment between homes and jobs and compensate for past losses. With the three Soar valley settlements identified close to and readily accessible from Quorn and Rothley there is less need to provide more employment land in those villages.

5.35. New employment land should provide industrial and perhaps office units, including starter and grow-on units. These sectors seem to be better suited to the needs of Charnwood’s villages and are more likely to create sustainable job opportunities.

57 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 6. STAGE 4: ASSESSMENT OF THE BROAD POTENTIAL OF PROPOSED SERVICE CENTRES TO ACCOMMODATE FURTHER GROWTH BY 2028

Introduction

6.1. This section assesses the factors influencing the broad development potential of the seven proposed Service Centres by identifying:

 key economic, social, environmental and transport issues (see Appendix 6);  potential housing and employment land supply primarily from the Council’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (see Table 11 and Plans 5 to 16).

6.2. Whilst general comments are made about the development potential of each Service Centre no attempt is made to quantify the appropriate level of provision. At this stage it is reasonable to assume that any additional housing and employment land found to be necessary would need to:

 be justifiable within acknowledged planning and technical constraints (see Plans 5 to 16);  provide reasonably and directly related improvements to services, facilities and infrastructure or affordable housing meeting proven local needs;  complement the scale and character of a settlement, help regenerate an area, strengthen a local centre, provide significant community infrastructure or meet other proven needs that could not otherwise be addressed.

6.3. The assessments are set out in three parts:

a) Estimate of the potential housing land opportunities at March 2010; b) Identification of key local issues and opportunities, planning and other constraints influencing development potential; c) Conclusions on the broad potential of each Service Centre to accommodate further housing and employment growth.

a) Assessment of Potential Housing Land Opportunities at March 2010

6.4. Local authorities must prepare a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) identifying potential future sources of housing land. This document is a key component of the evidence base to support delivery of sufficient land for housing to meet identified needs.

6.5. In Table 10 below sites in the 2010 SHLAA have been sieved to remove those considered undeliverable or undevelopable over the next 10+ years.

58 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Table 10: Indicative Housing Supply in Potential Service Centres Based on Possible Housing Sites Considered Deliverable and Developable in the 2010 SHLAA

Deliverable + Deliverable + Deliverable + Committed at Developable Developable Developable Settlement 3/2010 BROWNFIELD GREENFIELD TOTAL (dwellings) (dwellings) (dwellings) (dwellings) Anstey 56 1197 1253 123 (4) Barrow upon Soar 177 407 584 195 East Goscote 0 0 0 0 Hathern 0 1462 (1) 1462 (1) 21 (2) Mountsorrel 137 296 433 97 Quorn 10 176 186 40 (4) Rothley 11 777 788 168 Sileby 200 629 829 149 (3) Syston 119 1543 1662 328 (4) Woodhouse Eaves 94 0 94 5 Wymeswold 0 238 238 3 Overall for potential 804 (10.7%) 6725 (89.3%) 7529 1129 Service Centres

Notes 1. The supply figures for Hathern Parish include 1327dwellings for a possible sustainable urban extension adjoining the north west of Loughborough. 2. The committed figure for Hathern excludes 104 dwellings permitted after 3/2010 on two sites off Loughborough Road and Shepshed Road 3. The committed figure for Sileby excludes 180 dwellings permitted after 3/2010 on land west of Seagrave Road 4 The committed figures also exclude further large sites permitted after 3/2011 namely: 165 dwgs off Groby Road, Anstey (granted subject to S106 agreement); 125 dwgs off Meynell Road, Quorn (granted subject to S106 agreement), and 41 dwgs off Barkby Road, Syston.

6.6. SHLAA identifies substantial potential supply with much more potential in some settlements than others at 2010. The majority of this supply is on greenfield land. The figures should not be taken as an accurate indication of development potential in these settlements as they are liable to change over time because:

 other locations in and around settlements not currently considered deliverable or developable may emerge as realistic options;  SHLAA is a policy neutral assessment and there may be policy reasons which preclude sites from coming forward. The main planning constraints to be considered are listed in Table 11 below and shown (as space permits) on Plans 5 to 16.

59 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 6.7. Given this is Study is part of the evidence base and the housing figures and planning strategy have yet to be decided it does not make any judgements on the scale of further housing that might be accommodated.

b) Identification of Key Local Issues Influencing Development Potential of the Proposed Service Centres

6.8. Analyses of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOTs) for key issues in each settlement are included at Appendix 6. The SWOT analyses prepared in most cases in consultation with town and parish councils also reflect responses to the 2008 Further Consultation Core Strategy, Charnwood’s Sustainable Community Strategy, Leicestershire Together’s Places in Charnwood Reports (incorporating the main findings of Parish Plans and Priority Neighbourhood studies) and officers’ working knowledge. A number of common issues arise:

 Strengths are the attractiveness of Charnwood towns and villages as places to live, with at least reasonable levels of public transport access (apart from more rural areas) and the good range of services and facilities available in larger settlements;  Weaknesses are a general imbalance between homes and jobs creating high levels of out-commuting, a lack of certain types of housing notably affordable homes, deficiencies in various types of recreation and open space provision, growing traffic related problems and inadequacies in public transport and cycling provision, plus deficiencies in various local services and infrastructure;  Opportunities are generally framed in terms of measures that could help strengthen communities by overcoming weaknesses and reducing threats in ways that would improve the prosperity and sustainability of communities and the quality of life for residents ;  Threats relate to the harmful impact further development might have on settlements and their settings, crime and anti-social behaviour weakening community cohesion, flooding related problems and increasing pressures on local infrastructure and amenities.

6.9. Significant constraints on public funding will limit the ability of local authorities and other agencies to address problems and meet community aspirations for improvement for the foreseeable future. In such circumstances the potential role of housing development in helping meet these objectives merits careful consideration. Provision could be made as part of new development schemes or in the form of funding contributions through S106 agreements, a Community Infrastructure Levy or the New Homes Bonus.

6.10. Contributions from development might help meet opportunities for improvement in Service Centres. The current opportunities summarised with main planning constraints in Table 11 below are not in any order of priority.

60 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011

Table 11: Opportunities for Improvement and Main Planning Constraints in Proposed Service Centres

General Opportunities Specific opportunities Settlement Main planning constraints for improvement for improvement New employment land  Town and village  Support  See individual based employment regeneration of settlements below helps reduce out- priority Anstey, commuting and car neighbourhoods in Barrow use, with retained Mountsorrel and upon Soar, people supporting Syston Mountsorrel, local shops, services Sileby and and facilities Syston  Make better use of existing brownfield sites New housing  Affordable homes  Improve traffic and  Separated from Leicester meeting proven parking management by Rothley Brook needs help retain in and around the corridor this village has and attract young village centre to accommodated significant people relieve traffic growth since 1960s. It is  More people living pressures around primarily residential in in village help The Nook without character with numerous support existing, adding to wider employment sites and attract new, traffic problems redeveloped for housing. shops especially in around Anstey.  South of the village lies the village centre  Provide facilities for the A46 corridor and  Contribute to some sports and beyond this the improved capacity young people undulating Glenfrith area of services and  Improve quality of rises southward towards Anstey facilities where natural and semi the Leicester urban area. justified natural open spaces  Flood risk along Rothley  New recreational  Improve quality of Brook to south and east and open space allotments  No designated provision to address biodiversity areas in or known deficiencies adjoining village. Bradgate  Improve provision Park Site of Special for buses, cycling Scientific Interest is and walking plus 500m to north west and better traffic Sheet Hedges Wood SSSI management to help 750m to south west reduce traffic  Older parts of village and pressures. New The Green are within a highway capacity Conservation Area and

61 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 General Opportunities Specific opportunities Settlement Main planning constraints for improvement for improvement only considered an archaeological alert where no other zone. 24 listed buildings reasonable + one ancient monument alternative can in the parish address traffic  Important open spaces at related problems The Green and south of  Make better use of Millfield Close existing brownfield  Charnwood Forest to sites without north detriment to  Village surrounded by provision of local countryside employment land  Narrow gaps between Anstey and Newtown Linford, Beaumont Leys, Thurcaston and Cropston  Grade 3 agricultural land flanks the village  Affordable homes  Enhance riverside  Barrow is one of the meeting proven and canal corridor cluster of expanded needs help retain  Provide a cricket villages alongside the and attract young pitch river Soar between people  Meet demands for Loughborough and  More people living allotments Leicester. in village help  Enhance village  Predominantly support existing, centre with residential. and attract new, upgraded  Open countryside setting shops especially in shopfronts, on the eastern edge of the village centre improved signage river valley and Wolds  Contribute to and management of countryside rises away to improved capacity car parks, and new the east. Barrow of services and community focal  Soar valley floodplain to upon Soar facilities where point perhaps as west and south of the justified part of an existing village  New recreational facility  Older parts of the village and open space  Better healthcare and area alongside the provision could facilities perhaps a canal are in a address some new surgery Conservation Area. deficiencies  Improve access via Village core is an  Improve provision Bridge St bridge and archaeological alert zone. for buses, cycling /or link to A6 via 29 listed buildings in and walking plus Slash Lane to reduce parish better traffic impact of flooding  Important open spaces management to help  provide parking/ north of Cotes Road reduce traffic drop off area at housing area and to pressures. New primary school south of the village

62 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 General Opportunities Specific opportunities Settlement Main planning constraints for improvement for improvement highway capacity  Village is surrounded by only considered countryside where no other  Narrow gaps between reasonable village and Sileby, Quorn alternative can  Grade 4 agricultural land address traffic to the west, mainly related problems Grade 3 to east and  Make better use of Grade 2 close to north existing brownfield and south of the village sites without detriment to provision of local employment land  More people living  Improve  Mountsorrel is one of in village help recreational access the cluster of expanded support existing, to the Soar valley villages alongside river and attract new, and to Charnwood Soar between shops especially in Forest and between Loughborough and the village centre them Leicester. Long, linear  Contribute to  Enhance the former form with recent improved capacity A6 corridor by residential extensions to of services and perhaps upgrading the west, south of facilities where village centre, CCTV Halstead Road and justified and environmental between the village and  New recreational improvements A6 bypass. and open space  Regenerate the  Soar valley floodplain to provision could Priority east of the village address some Neighbourhood  Main Quarry SSSI to deficiencies  Improve provision west of village and 4 sites Mountsorrel  Improve provision for younger people important for nature for buses, cycling in south and east of conservation adjoin the and walking plus village village better traffic  Junior soccer and  Older parts of village and management to help tennis facilities area along Bond Lane are reduce traffic in a Conservation Area. pressures. New Village core is an highway capacity archaeological alert zone. only considered 37 listed buildings and where no other two ancient monuments reasonable in the parish alternative can  Important open spaces at address traffic The Green, along related problems Halstead Road, off  Make better use of Hawcliffe Road and to existing brownfield the east of village sites without  Charnwood Forest to

63 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 General Opportunities Specific opportunities Settlement Main planning constraints for improvement for improvement detriment to west of the village provision of local  Village surrounded by employment land countryside  Narrow gaps between the village and Quorn, Rothley  Grade 4 agricultural land to the east, Grade 3 land to west, Grade 2 to north and south of the village  Affordable homes  Improve provision  Quorn is one of the meeting proven for recreation, open cluster of expanded needs help retain spaces and for young villages alongside the and attract young people river Soar between people  Junior soccer and Loughborough and  Contribute to better quality Leicester with improved capacity children’s facilities predominantly residential of services and  Improve quality of character. facilities where allotments  Soar valley floodplain to justified  Enhance former A6 east and north of with  New recreational corridor through Buddon Brook joining and open space the village from the south provision could  Develop the tourism  Barrow Gravel Pits SSSI address some potential of Great to the south east and deficiencies Central Railway Buddon Wood SSI to  Improve provision  Improve parking south. 2 sites important for buses, cycling management in and for nature conservation Quorn and walking plus around the village within and 3 adjoining better traffic centre the village management to help  Older part of the village reduce traffic is a Conservation Area. pressures. New Core area is an highway capacity archaeological alert zone. only considered 36 listed buildings and where no other one ancient monument in reasonable parish alternative can  Important open spaces address traffic along Poulteney Brook, related problems off Station Rd and south  Make better use of of Meynell Rd existing brownfield  Charnwood Forest west sites without of the village detriment to  Village is surrounded by provision of local countryside employment land  Narrow gaps between

64 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 General Opportunities Specific opportunities Settlement Main planning constraints for improvement for improvement the village and Loughborough, Mountsorrel and Barrow  Grade 4 agricultural land to the east, Grade 2 to west and Grade 3 with some Grade 2 to south & north of the village  Contribute to  Create a park and  Predominantly residential improved capacity natural green spaces village, one of the cluster of services and  Junior soccer and of Soar valley villages. facilities where cricket Compact built up area justified  Develop the tourism with separate early 20th  New recreational potential of Great century low density and open space Central Railway Ridgeway Area garden provision could  Improve suburb to west and address some management of outlier of employment deficiencies parking in and and horticultural  Improve provision around the village development to north at for buses, cycling centre Rothley Lodge. The bulk and walking plus  Provide doctors of the village is west of better traffic surgery in some Loughborough Road. management to help form in village Pockets of development reduce traffic mainly housing and pressures. New farmsteads between the Rothley highway capacity A6 bypass and (excl The only considered Loughborough.. Ridgeway where no other  Landform rises south of Area) reasonable the village to a prominent alternative can east to west ridgeline address traffic beyond which are the related problems A46 and Birstall.  Make better use of  Soar valley floodplain to existing brownfield east of the village with sites without Rothley Brook running detriment to south east to north west provision of local through village employment land  2 sites important for nature conservation  Older part of the village is a Conservation Area with an archaeological alert zone at core. 34 listed buildings and two ancient monuments in the parish

65 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 General Opportunities Specific opportunities Settlement Main planning constraints for improvement for improvement  Important open spaces along Rothley brook corridor and north of Cossington Lane  Charnwood Forest to the west of the Ridgeway area  Village surrounded by countryside  Narrow gaps between the village and Mountsorrel, Birstall and Ridgeway area  Grade 2 agricultural land to the south and north, Grade 4 to east, mainly Grade 3 to west of the village with Grade 2 south of Westfield Lane  Affordable homes  Enhance village  One of the cluster of meeting proven centre (improve expanded villages needs help retain shopfronts, alongside the river Soar and attract young pavements and between Loughborough people (CHECK) streetscape, traffic and Leicester. Mainly  More people living and parking residential as former in village help management) employment sites support existing,  Improve primary redeveloped for housing and attract new, school provision -  Located at eastern edge shops especially in perhaps with new of river valley with the village centre school to replace elevated, undulating  Contribute to existing school with Wolds countryside to improved capacity limited scope to the east and north. Large Sileby of services and improve capacity agricultural buildings are facilities where  Provide facilities for prominent features in the justified young people in area south and east of  New recreational north of village Seagrave Road. and open space  Junior soccer  Soar valley floodplain to provision could  Enhance the west with Sileby address some environment of Brook running north to deficiencies various parts of south through village  Improve provision village  Eastern part of the village for buses, cycling  Provide flood free is a Conservation Area. and walking plus access to and from The core is an better traffic A6 archaeological alert zone. management to help  Improve quantity 11 listed buildings in reduce traffic and quality of parish

66 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 General Opportunities Specific opportunities Settlement Main planning constraints for improvement for improvement pressures. New allotments  Important open spaces highway capacity  extra cemetery along Sileby Brook only considered capacity corridor, Memorial Park where no other and off Cemetery Road reasonable  Village surrounded by alternative can countryside address traffic  Narrow gaps between related problems the village and Barrow,  Make better use of Cossington existing brownfield  Grade 3 agricultural land sites without to the south and south detriment to east with pockets of provision of local Grade 2, Grade 4 to employment land west of the village

 More people living  Help regenerate the  Small market town in village help Priority located just north of the support existing, Neighbourhood Leicester conurbation at and attract new,  Improve primary the confluence of rivers shops especially in school capacity Soar and Wreake. the village centre  Provide housing and  Primarily residential  Contribute to facilities for the character in east with improved capacity elderly main employment areas of services and  Enhance town west of busy town facilities where centre and centre. justified conservation area by  West of town generally  New recreational improving low lying countryside and open space streetscape, better setting of the town provision could parking and traffic becomes more attractive address some management, merging with higher land Syston deficiencies addressing nightime of High Leicestershire.  Improve provision economy issues  To the south a small for buses, cycling  Improve natural and wedge of farmland west and walking plus semi natural and of the mainline rail better traffic amenity open spaces corridor provides the management to help and quantity and remaining separation reduce traffic quality of allotments from Thurmaston, pressures. New  Junior soccer and  River Wreake & Soar highway capacity cricket floodplains west & north only considered  add cemetery west of the town. Barkby where no other capacity Brook runs from south reasonable  Provide for needs of east of the town through alternative can young people the town centre towards address traffic river Wreake west of related problems town  Make better use of  1 site important for

67 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 General Opportunities Specific opportunities Settlement Main planning constraints for improvement for improvement existing brownfield nature conservation sites without  High St is a Conservation detriment to Area and an provision of local archaeological alert zone. employment land 32 listed buildings in and around the town  Important open spaces off St Peters St, Pembroke Avenue, north of High St and off Glebe Way  Town almost surrounded by countryside  Very narrow gap with Thurmaston and narrow gap with Queniborough  Grade 2 agricultural land from north east to south of the town. Grade 4 to west/north west

6.11. If sufficient developer contributions were available, development in Service Centres may help meet some needs of nearby villages, including other villages assessed in this Study. In addition some affordable and market housing and employment land provided could help meet wider needs.

c) Conclusions on the Broad Potential of Proposed Service Centres to Accommodate Further Housing and Employment Growth

6.12. Broad development potential will reflect overall performance across all the factors considered in this Study and the need for growth to be sustainable as set out in national and regional guidance. Given this context the main conclusions for each proposed Service Centre are set out below.

6.13. Anstey in south west Charnwood has experienced modest housing growth relative to some of the other settlements assessed but the village has lost significant employment provision. Issues relating to the capacity of services and transport provision and other identified constraints suggest that some further housing could be accommodated. Any growth would need to take account of any further permissions and be supported by adequate supporting services and infrastructure such as appropriate expansion of schools, healthcare facilities and transport provision. Development could generate contributions towards resolving some local issues such as those identified in Table 11 above.

68 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 6.14. Additional employment land would help improve Anstey’s self containment between homes and jobs.

6.15. In the Soar Valley area no single village has the level of services and facilities, accessibility and potential capacity in infrastructure needed to support significant housing growth. However the consideration of potential needs to take account of their close interaction as a group of villages

6.16. Barrow upon Soar, Quorn and Sileby have over the past 20 years accommodated quite significant housing growth but their employment bases have declined. Whilst the level of services and facilities varies in each village they have reasonable provision between them. Being close together on bus and/or rail and road corridors between Loughborough and Leicester they have reasonable transport accessibility although there are some constraints on local road networks. Overall there do not appear to be constraints of such significance as to restrict development potential in any of these settlements, The level of growth appropriate in any village will also need to take account of any further permissions.

6.17. In all three villages potential impacts on infrastructure, in particular, schools, transport and doctors surgeries, will need careful consideration to ensure sufficient capacity can be made available. Growth could support their roles as Service Centres and enable contributions towards local improvements notably in village centres, by regenerating run down areas, improving local environments and providing necessary supporting services and infrastructure. More significant growth or additional funding sources would be needed to fund wider ranging improvements. A list of potential opportunities in each settlement is included in Table 11 above.

6.18. At Barrow upon Soar and Sileby additional employment land would help improve local sustainability by providing readily accessible job opportunities to compensate for those that have been lost. Whilst there is no pressing need for additional employment land at Quorn some provision would enhance sustainability.

6.19. Mountsorrel is the largest Soar valley village with the highest percentage housing growth in Charnwood outside Loughborough over the past 20 years. Whilst it has benefited from the Soar valley leisure centre and a new edge-of-village supermarket there has been a decline in local job opportunities. Available evidence suggests the appropriate strategy for Mountsorrel should be to achieve a better balance between housing and employment in the community. However without significant housing growth in the village other funding sources would be needed to address local issues as identified in Table 11 above. Mountsorrel should be a priority location for new employment land to better balance homes and jobs in the village.

69 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 6.20. Rothley has a similar balance of issues, constraints and opportunities to Barrow upon Soar, Quorn and Sileby. However with a population of under 3,500 (excluding the separate Ridgeway Area) it is the smallest proposed Service Centre and has accommodated quite significant new housing south of Hallfields Lane. Taking account of this Study’s findings Rothley appears to have less scope for further housing than the larger Soar valley villages. As this would limit potential benefits from developer contributions other funding sources would be needed to address local issues such as those in Table 11 above. Whilst there is no pressing need for additional employment land some provision in the village would enhance sustainability.

6.21. Syston in south east Charnwood is the largest and most sustainable of the settlements assessed. This busy town located close to Leicester has grown significantly over the past 20 years and retained employment opportunities. Growth has been generally well supported with an improved town centre, better transport provision and increased services and facilities. The extent of infrastructure capacity issues should not restrict future development potential and development may fund new provision. The absence of strong planning constraints suggests potential to accommodate further development subject to adequate supporting infrastructure being provided. The level of growth would take account of any further permissions. It is likely that significant growth would be needed to help address local weaknesses and opportunities such as those identified in Table 11 above. Although Syston is not identified as a priority location for new employment land some additional provision is desirable to balance land uses and help enhance the town’s sustainability.

6.22. Table 12 on the next page gives a broad indication of the relative performance of the proposed Service Centres against the various factors assessed in this Study. The ratings are generalised and may need to be reviewed in the light of more detailed work on specific locations.

6.23. The level of new housing and/ employment land appropriate in each settlement cannot be determined until the overall level of housing growth and development strategy for Charnwood are known and policy options for how to distribute growth have been considered.

6.24. Detailed assessments of constraints and infrastructure capacity will need to be undertaken for potential development locations in each settlement in a Site Allocations Development Plan Document.

6.25. All future growth will need to be carefully planned with measures put in place to ensure adequate supporting services and infrastructure capacity is delivered in all cases at the earliest possible stage of any development.

70 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Table 12: Broad comparison of the Proposed Service Centres against the Range of Factors Assessed in this Study

Soar Sileby Quorn Syston Anstey Rothley Mountsorrel Barrow upon

Services & facilities Quality of centre Transport access Employment self containment Opportunities for improvement Planning constraints Infrastructure capacity

Notes

A good level of service and facility provision, access, employment and homes balance or opportunities; or A low level of planning and/ or infrastructure capacity constraints A reasonable level of service and facility provision, access, employment and homes balance or opportunities; or A moderate level of planning and/ or infrastructure capacity constraints A fair level of service and facility provision, access, employment and homes balance or opportunities; or A significant level of planning and/ or infrastructure capacity constraints A poor level of service and facility provision, access, employment and homes balance or opportunities; or A very significant, potentially overriding level of planning and/ or infrastructure capacity constraints

71 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011

APPENDICES

72 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 APPENDIX 1: Summary of Settlement Hierarchies included in Community Strategy Documents

1. Charnwood Together Sustainable Community Strategy (Sept 2008)

The evidence base considered issues for consideration in ‘Places in Charnwood’ using the hierarchy15 set out below.

Main Towns:

Key large service centres which provide health services, employment, education, leisure and shopping facilities for the surrounding population:

 Loughborough  Shepshed  Birstall  Syston  Thurmaston

Priority Neighbourhoods:

Identified by the Local Area Agreement 2006-2009, Charnwood has 4 of the 19 neighbourhoods, small areas with bigger than average problems, usually in relation to a number of aspects of deprivation:

 Loughborough East  Loughborough West  Mountsorrel  South Charnwood

Service Centres:

Are smaller service centres, identified through the Leicestershire Rural Partnership, providing a range of facilities for surrounding rural villages and hamlets. They vary in size, but each is a focal point for a cluster of smaller settlements.

15 This hierarchy was intended to mirror the LDF’s local planning policy framework at the time. However it did not take account of the emerging findings of the 2008 Settlement Hierarchy Review published about the same time. As a result Syston is included as a Main Town rather than a Service Centre and East Goscote and Hathern are retained as Service Centres

73 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011  Anstey  Barrow upon Soar  East Goscote  Hathern  Mountsorrel  Quorn  Rothley  Sileby

Rural Settlements:

Small rural villages & hamlets:

 The Wolds Villages (including Burton on the Wolds, Hoton, Prestwold, Seagrave, Walton on the Wolds, Wymeswold)  Cossington  Cotes  Cropston  Barkby & Barkby Thorpe  Beeby  Queniborough  Newtown Linford  South Croxton  Swithland  Thurcaston  Wanlip  Woodhouse & Woodhouse Eaves  Woodthorpe  Wreake Valley Villages (including Rearsby, Ratcliffe on the Wreake and Thrussington)  Ulverscroft

2. Leicestershire Together Places in Charnwood (Dec 2009, amended 2010)

This document updates the findings of the original ‘Places in Leicestershire’ Report supporting the 2008 Leicestershire ‘Sustainable Community Strategy’ based on place based priority outcomes. ‘Places in Charnwood’ lists types of places in the original countywide assessment of settlements for ‘Places in Leicestershire’.

74 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Key Places in Charnwood are divided into:

Main Towns:

Key large service centres identified in the Local Area Agreement which provide health services, employment, education, leisure and shopping facilities for the surrounding population:

 Loughborough  Shepshed  Birstall  Syston  Thurmaston

Priority Neighbourhoods:

Identified in the Local Area Agreement 2006-2009, Charnwood has 4 of the 19 neighbourhoods, small areas with bigger than average problems, usually in relation to a number of aspects of deprivation:

 Loughborough East  Loughborough West  Mountsorrel  South Charnwood

Rural/Service Centres:

Smaller service centres, identified through the Leicestershire Rural Partnership, Rural Strategy and Local Development Framework with a range of facilities for surrounding rural villages and hamlets. They vary in size, but are all focal points for a cluster of smaller settlements:

 Anstey  Barrow upon Soar  East Goscote  Hathern  Mountsorrel  Quorn  Rothley  Sileby  Woodhouse  Wymeswold

75 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 APPENDIX 2: 2001 Census Ward Data: Travel to Work by Mode for Workplace Population Ranked by Car or Van

Ward Cycle Other Car/Van On Foot Home Working Public Transport

The Wolds (incl Wymeswold) 69% 1% 1% 4% 24% 2% Leicestershire 69% 4% 3% 10% 11% 2% East Midlands 67% 8% 3% 11% 9% 2% Syston West 67% 6% 5% 13% 8% 1% East Goscote 66% 8% 2% 9% 13% 2% Quorn & Mountsorrel Castle 64% 6% 3% 10% 16% 2% Barrow & Sileby West 61% 3% 3% 12% 19% 1% Charnwood 61% 4% 4% 11% 18% 1% Forest Bradgate (incl Woodhouse Eaves) 61% 5% 1% 9% 22% 2% Sileby 61% 2% 5% 15% 16% 1% Syston East 61% 6% 3% 12% 17% 1% Rothley & Thurcaston 58% 4% 2% 9% 25% 1% Anstey 55% 2% 2% 21% 17% 1% Mountsorrel 52% 2% 2% 13% 30% 1% Loughborough Dishley & Hathern 50% 2% 4% 16% 26% 2%

Source: 2001 Census Travel to Work data: Charnwood Borough Profile (Leics County Council, Feb 2006) and NOMIS for County and East Midlands figures.

76 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011

APPENDIX 3: Accessibility of Potential Service Centres by Public Transport

 100% of village is within 400m of 12min frequency bus service taking 20mins to Leicester city centre via Beaumont Leys employment areas and shopping centre  East of village is within 400m of hourly bus service taking 34mins to Loughborough via Thurcaston and Cropston Anstey  Two hourly bus service via Newtown Linford and Markfield to Coalville.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that It is not clear whether these services would be adequate to support further development.  c85% of village is within 400m of half hourly bus service taking 50min to Leicester via Sileby Road employment areas, Sileby and 20mins to Loughborough via Quorn incl Rawlins school. Only north edges of village are less well served.  c80% of village is within 400m of hourly bus service taking 45mins to Thurmaston district centre via Walton on the Wolds, Seagrave, Sileby, Mountsorrel (incl Soar valley centre), Rothley Lodge employment area and 10mins to employment areas in east and central Loughborough via Cotes. Southern parts of village are not served.  c70% of village is within 800m of hourly train services taking 20mins to Barrow upon Soar Leicester via Sileby and Syston and 4mins to Loughborough station. Only the north edge of the village is further away.  Elsewhere within a potential 5km catchment no bus links to Burton on the Wolds and Hoton.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that at present, the village is well-served by bus services, and has a railway station but accessibility for pedestrians is currently limited to stairs only. However, existing public transport service levels are insufficient to cater for the level of modal shift away from the car that would be required in order for the village to be considered suitable for a further significant expansion in housing provision.  100% of village is within 400m of 10min bus service taking 35mins to Leicester and 8mins to Syston passing Wreake Valley college  Eastern 50% of village is within 400m of 20min bus service taking 35mins to Melton Mowbray via Rearsby and Queniborough.  No bus service to nearby employment area at Gaddesby Lane, Rearsby nor to East Goscote Barkby, Ratcliffe on the Wreake and Cossington within the potential 5km catchment

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that destinations other than towards Leicester and Melton are not well provided for to allow people to travel for employment, education, shopping and leisure.  Nearly 100% of village is within 400m of half hourly bus service taking 10mins to Loughborough town centre passing main employment areas in north east of Hathern town and 50mins to Derby via Long Whatton, Diseworth, EMA and Kegworth  Nearly 100% of village is within 400m of hourly bus service taking 90mins to

77 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Nottingham via Zouch and Sutton Bonington  Elsewhere within a potential 5km catchment no bus access to and from Shepshed or to Burleigh school campus in Loughborough

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that at present the village has strong bus services.  A corridor covering c60% of the village is within 400m of 10min bus services taking 30mins to Leicester via Rothley and 20mins to Loughborough via Quorn incl Rawlins school. Western and south eastern parts of Mountsorrel are further from this route.  Eastern 50% of village is within 400m of hourly bus service taking 18mins to Thurmaston district centre via Rothley Lodge and Cossington Edge employment areas and going to Loughborough via Sileby (nearest rail station at c2.5km) and Barrow upon Soar incl secondary school Mountsorrel  The Western 50% of village only served by infrequent bus service to Rothley and villages to Leicester. It is possible to change to the high frequency bus services over 1km away in Mountsorrel or Rothley village centres.  No bus access to Swithland and Cossington within a potential 5km catchment

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that at present, the village is generally well-served by bus services linking the village towards Leicester and Loughborough, but services are limited to operating on the main routes (to keep journey times to a minimum)  Central 60% of the village is within 400m of 10min bus services taking 10min to south and central Loughborough and 40mins to Leicester via Mountsorrel and Rothley.  Eastern 50% of Quorn is served by half hourly bus services taking 10mins to Loughborough and 55mins to Leicester via Barrow (incl secondary school, rail station and Sileby Road employment area 10 mins away) and Sileby.  Southern half of the village is served by hourly bus service linking to Loughborough and Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves and Swithland Quorn  No bus access to Cotes and Walton on the Wolds within a potential 5km catchment

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that at present, the village is generally well-served by bus services linking the village towards Leicester and Loughborough. Operation is limited to the main routes (for the same reason as Mountsorrel) which, given the size of the village, does enable direct access for most parts of it.  100% of village is within 400m of 10min bus services taking 23min to Loughborough via Mountsorrel and Quorn incl Rawlins secondary school and 20mins to Leicester via Birstall passing the proposed Hallam Fields employment Rothley area. (excl The Ridgeway  Eastern 50% of village is within 400m of half hourly service taking 5mins to Area) Cossington and 10mins to Sileby (incl rail station); and within 400m of hourly service taking 15mins to Thurmaston district centre via Cossington Edge employment area  Southern 75% of village is also within 400m of infrequent bus service taking

78 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 10mins to Cropston and Thurcaston on way to Leicester  No bus access to Swithland and Cossington within a potential 5km catchment

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that at present, the village is generally well-served by bus services linking the village to Leicester and Loughborough. Operation is limited to the main routes (for the same reason as Mountsorrel) which, given the size of the village, does enable direct access for most parts of it. Buses heading from Leicester towards Loughborough operate on a slightly different route to those heading towards Leicester, and this may be important in accessibility terms.  Nearly 100% of village is within 400m of half hourly bus service taking 40mins to Leicester via Barrow (passing Sileby Road employment areas 5mins away and close to secondary school) and Quorn incl Rawlins secondary school and taking 30mins to Loughborough  c75% of village is within 400m of hourly bus service taking 30mins to Thurmaston district centre via Mountsorrel (including Soar valley leisure centre) and Rothley Lodge employment area and 30 mins to Loughborough via Seagrave and Walton on the Wolds. South eastern parts of village are not served. Sileby  c80% of village is within 800m of hourly train services taking 15mins to Leicester via Syston and 8mins to Loughborough station via Barrow. Only north east and southern edges are further away.  No bus access to Ratcliffe on the Wreake within the potential 5km catchment

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that at present, the village has reasonably strong bus services operating to Leicester, Barrow and Loughborough. Sileby also has a railway station, but accessibility for pedestrians is currently limited to stairs only.  Corridor comprising the central 50% of Syston is within 400m of 10min bus services taking 37 mins to Leicester city centre via east Thurmaston including employment areas and taking 10 mins to East Goscote. Most of the same area has 20 min bus services from east Queniborough, eastern East Goscote, Rearsby and Melton Mowbray (28mins away). Wreake Valley College is on both these bus routes.  Most other parts of the town have 30min bus services taking 47mins to Leicester via west Thurmaston including the district centre.  Three bus services link the town centre hourly to 1) Loughborough (55mins) via Sileby; and to Melton Mowbray via 2) Thrussington and Ratcliffe on the Syston Wreake and 3) Barkby and Beeby. Two thirds of the town (central and most southern parts) are within 800m of hourly train services taking 10 mins to Leicester city centre and 13mins to east Loughborough via Sileby and Barrow.  South Croxton is the only other village outside a potential 5km catchment but it has hourly bus links to Syston

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that at present, the town has strong bus services, although they operate along the main routes (to minimise journey times) and thus not all areas of the town have direct access to services. The town also has a railway station.

79 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011  Nearly 100% of the village is within 400m of hourly bus services taking 16mins to south and central Loughborough via Woodhouse and Quorn including Rawlins school and 40mins to Leicester via Swithland and Cropston.  No bus access to Shepshed or Coalville, the secondary school in Barrow upon Soar Woodhouse Eaves The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that at present, the village is poorly served by public transport, with only an hourly service to Leicester. This is not a level at which the bus could be considered to provide an attractive and viable alternative to the car. There appears to be no prospect of either public or private (developer) funding being able to deliver and sustain over the long-term a more frequent service.  100% of village is within 400m of hourly bus services taking 23mins to east and central Loughborough via Burton on the Wolds and Hoton and 20mins to Melton Mowbray.  No bus access to secondary schools and other services in Barrow upon Soar, Quorn and East Leake nor to Walton on the Wolds and Wysall the only other villages within a 5km catchment Wymeswold The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that at present, the village is poorly served by public transport, with only an hourly service between Loughborough, Melton and Grantham. This is not a level at which the bus could be considered to provide an attractive and viable alternative to the car. There appears to be no prospect of either public or private (developer) funding being able to deliver and sustain over the long-term a more frequent service.

80 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 APPENDIX 4: Walking and Cycling Accessibility in Potential Service Centres

 Only some housing areas to the north west along Bradgate Road and to the north east along Cropston Road at c1km are outside a reasonable walking distance of 800m from the village centre.  The same housing area along Bradgate Road is the only part of the village more than 800m from one of the two primary schools. This area and southern parts of the village are between 1km and 1.25 km from Anstey Martin High school. Birstall Longslade upper school is more than 5km from the village. Anstey  Remaining employment areas are all generally within reasonable walking distance of residents. The village is within 3km of the nearest main employment area at Beaumont Leys. There are some dedicated cycle routes and a variety of quiet roads suitable for cycling. The village has good access to Castle Hill and Bradgate Parks, to wider countryside and to nearby villages.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that the gradients of some of the roads around Anstey may deter cycling.  Most existing housing is within 800m of the village centre and primary school but some housing areas to the north along Cotes Road and south along Sileby Road are about 1km away.  Humphrey Perkins high school is within 800m of northern parts of the village but housing along Sileby Road to the south east is up to 1.5km away. All of the village is within about 2.5km of Rawlins upper school with traffic free access via The Slabs.  Only north east parts of Barrow are more than 800m from the rail station. Barrow upon Soar  Much of the village is within 2km of the employment area extending along Sileby Road to the south east. Employment areas in north east Loughborough are within 5km.  There are no dedicated cycle routes but a variety of reasonably quiet roads/ routes with good footpath links into surrounding countryside especially in the Soar valley and to nearby villages.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that the village is not well connected to other settlements and the flood plain can cause severance at times.  Given the compact village form all housing areas are within 800m of the village centre and primary school. The employment area and recreation ground on the western edge of the village are within about 1km of all housing. The A607 is a barrier to access for people living in housing east of A607.  All residents are within 3km of Wreake valley college at Syston and within 3.5km of Syston town centre and employment areas at Gaddesby Lane, Rearsby East Goscote and Cossington Edge. Cycle routes along the A607 corridor provide good cycle access towards Syston (incl Wreake valley College). Outside the village footpath links are limited other than towards Rearsby. The Leicester to Melton Mowbray railway line to the west and Syston Northern bypass to the south create barriers to access.

81 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that cycling provision to Syston is good.  Given the compact village form most services and facilities are within 800m walking distance even though the primary school is located on the eastern edge. The only exception is the Loughborough Road allotments site which is about 1km from houses on the northern edge of the village. Some severance is caused by the A6 running through the village and there are a number of narrow pavements. Most of the village is within 2km of main employment areas in north Loughborough. The town centre (incl Limehurst high school), Burleigh College and Gorse Covert district centre are about 5km away – as is Shepshed town Hathern centre. There are good cycle links north and south from the village along the A6 corridor. Good access by rights of way to surrounding countryside in the Soar valley but more limited access to the west of the village.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that there are segregated walking/ cycling routes alongside most of the A6 between Loughborough and Kegworth. Works are currently being implemented to improve cycling access alongside the A6 through the village  Accessibility is influenced by the village’s linear form with significant expansion of housing areas upslope west of the A6.  About a third of the village on the western and northern edges are between 800m and 1.5km walking distance from the village centre including the Soar valley leisure centre. Only that 20% of the village north of the village centre is within 800m walking distance of the main convenience store and Granite Way employment area located on the northern edge. Some western housing areas are over 3km away from these key destinations.  Most of the village is within 5km of Sileby rail station although cross valley routes are liable to flood. Southern and western parts of the village are about Mountsorrel 5km from Quorn Rawlins upper school and c8km from Humphrey Perkins high school in Barrow. The old A6 through the village is part of Sustrans National Route 6 between Loughborough and Leicester giving good north-south cycle links including to Quorn Rawlins. A number of other roads are suited to cycling. Good walking access by rights of way to surrounding Soar valley countryside but more limited access to the west.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that given the size and spread of the settlement, walking distances are difficult to achieve from the outskirts of the village.  With the village centre’s central location all but some south west and south east housing areas are within 800m walking distance of most services and facilities and Quorn Rawlins upper school. With the primary school located in the west of the village east and south east parts of the village are more than 800m away. Main employment sites outside the village centre are located on the Quorn north edge of the village up to 1.5km from west and south east edges of the village. The southern half of the village is within 2km of the Budgens store north of Mountsorrel. There are no steep gradients in the village  Loughborough town centre, Barrow Humphrey Perkins high school and the rail station/employment areas at Sileby Road, Barrow are all within 5km of the village centre. The old A6 through the village is part of Sustrans National Route

82 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 6 between Loughborough and Leicester giving good north-south cycle links. Apart from the A6 most local roads are suited to cycling. There is ready access by rights of way to surrounding countryside especially in the Soar valley but access is more restricted south of the village.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport has no particular comments at this time.  The majority of the village apart from northern and eastern edges are within 800m of the village centre. Only areas north of the village centre are within 800m of the nearest doctors surgery in Mountsorrel. Whilst eastern parts of the village are about 1km from the Rothley Lodge employment area western areas are as far as 2.5km away. Almost all parts of the village are within 800m of the village primary school. Birstall secondary schools and the proposed Hallam Fields employment area are within about 5km of all but northernmost parts of Rothley the village. There are some narrow pavements in and around the village centre. (exc The Ridgeway  The village is within 5km of Sileby rail station although cross valley routes are Area) liable to flood. The old A6 on the western edge of the village is a section of the north to south Sustrans National Route 6 between Loughborough and Leicester. Most roads in and around the village are suitable for cycling. The village has good off road access to surrounding countryside.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport has no particular comments at this time.  Accessibility is influenced by the village centre and rail station being located near the western edge of Sileby. About three quarters of the village is within 800m walking distance but housing areas on higher land to north and east are just over 1km away. Cossington is within 2km of the village centre.  Secondary schools at Barrow and Quorn are just over 5km away from the village centre. The village is within 5km of employment areas along Sileby Road towards Barrow and at Cossington Edge. Sileby  There are no dedicated cycle routes in Sileby but the village has relatively quiet roads away from the centre and is well located for cycle trips to and from nearby villages. There is reasonable access by rights of way to surrounding countryside in the Soar valley but elsewhere access is more limited.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that Sileby is not well connected to other settlements and the flood plain can cause severance at times.  About half of the town is within 800m walking distance of the town centre which includes the rail station, key services and facilities and a number of local employment sites. Western, eastern edges and southern edges of the town are over 1km away from the centre. The terrain is relatively flat but the railway line acts as a barrier to east-west cross town movements.  The northern half of the town is within 800m of Wreake Valley college but Syston some western and southern parts are 1.5 - 2km away. However these areas are mainly within 1km from Roundhill college at Thurmaston which provides high school education for Syston children. The eastern half of Syston is within 800m of the town’s two primary schools but parts of west Syston are over 1.5km away.

83 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011  With main employment areas located primarily in west and central Syston the residential eastern parts of the town are between 1 and 2 km from these areas.  All of the town is within 5km of employment areas at Thurmaston and Cossington Edge. East Goscote, Queniborough and Barkby are within 5km of the town centre, On-road cycle routes along the A607 link to Thurmaston and East Goscote via Wreake valley college and alongside the A46 towards Birstall. The town has ready access to the Connect2 cycle route into Watermead Country Park thence into the City. There are good footpath access to parts of the surrounding countryside with some bridleways especially in Watermead.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport has no particular comments at this time.  Village services and facilities are within 800m of people living in the main body of the village, within 1.5km of the scatter of properties south of the village and within 3km of residents of Woodhouse and western parts of Swithland. In terms of secondary schools Quorn Rawlins is about 5km away and Humphrey Perkins about 7.5km. Limited employment is available within 5km. There are Woodhouse Eaves no dedicated cycle facilities but various quiet roads and off-road routes. The village has reasonable footpath access to surrounding countryside.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport has no particular comments at this time.  All services and facilities in the village are within 800m of residents and within 5km of Burton on the Wolds and Hoton. Secondary schools in Quorn and Barrow are 10-12km away. Although there are no dedicated cycle routes the village has a number of routes suitable for cycling. There is very good footpath Wymeswold access to surrounding countryside.

The County Council’s Director of Environment and Transport comments that the village is not well connected to other settlements and the nature of traffic in the village may be seen as a barrier that deters some from walking and cycling.

84 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 APPENDIX 5: Summary of the Main Findings of the Borough Council’s PPG17 Recreation and Open Spaces Study (August 2010)

Significant Issues:  NE Anstey is outside the catchment for young people’s facilities - but a new facility is planned in the Bradgate Road housing scheme  Shortfall of junior and mini soccer provision,  Lack of natural and semi natural open space and a shortfall in the quantity of amenity green space, even though most residents in the village are within an acceptable walking distance of such provision, and new provision is planned in the Bradgate Road housing scheme. Improving the quality of existing provision Anstey is as important as providing new facilities.  Majority of residents are outside the recommended catchment of allotment provision

Other Issues:  West Anstey is outside the catchment for a bowling green, but no additional demand is identified.  Allotments are marginally below recommended quantity standards. Waiting lists at existing sites and provision only average quality. Significant Issues:  No natural and semi natural green space within village and River Soar natural resource needs to be maximised. The even distribution of parks and amenity green spaces offers opportunities for natural green space within them.  Whilst within recommended standards for accessibility, the quality of facilities for children is low. Residents in the far south of Barrow lack young peoples Barrow upon Soar facilities within recommended walking distance. New facilities for children and young people are provided in Cotes Road housing area.  High demand for cricket pitches.  Allotment provision meets recommended standards for quantity but residents in south of village are outside recommended catchment and waiting lists suggest a shortfall in provision. Significant Issues:  No parks and provision is below minimum standards in terms of quantity and accessibility. Amenity green space is above minimum standards and particularly important. Consideration should be given to upgrading amenity green space to function as a park.  The absence of natural or semi-natural green space could be addressed within existing areas of amenity green space. East Goscote  No allotments

Other Issues:  A few residents are outside the recommended distance to young people’s facilities.  Unmet demand for tennis courts.  No cemeteries in the village.

85 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Significant Issues:  No natural and semi-natural green space, and residents are outside recommended walking distance to such space. Opportunities for new natural green space (potentially within other sites) should be considered.  Although most residents are within recommended walking distance to amenity green space, there is a shortfall in quantity and quality.

Other Issues:  The pressure on existing rugby pitches s balanced by good supply of other pitches Hathern  Quantity of parks is above the recommended standards but residents in far south west are outside recommended walking distance for such facilities. It may be possible to upgrade an amenity green space to a park, although the amount of residents who are unable to access a park is relatively small, and to an extent the amenity space negates that need. Sports facilities in the local area also have secondary function as a park.  Very small amount of residents outside recommended distance for young people’s facilities  Quantity of allotments exceeds recommended standards but waiting lists suggest additional unmet demand. Significant Issues:  Lack of provision for children and young people in south and east  Shortfalls in junior and mini-football provision and unmet demand for tennis.

Other Issues:  Provision of parks is significantly below recommended quantity standards, and Mountsorrel small parts of south Mountsorrel are outside the catchment. The impact is lessened by the significant amount of amenity green spaces with an opportunity to upgrade one or more to a park, particularly in NW of the village. Another option is to provide natural greenspace within amenity green spaces  Provision of allotments is above the minimum standards but there are waiting lists at existing sites. Residents in east Mountsorrel are outside recommended distance to this type of provision. Significant Issues:  Shortfall in amount of parks and amenity green spaces. Residents in SW are outside catchment of both parks and amenity green space, whilst residents in north and west Quorn can access amenity greenspace, but are outside the catchment of a park. The lack of either significant amenity green space or parks in south Quorn mean new provision is important. An amenity green space in the north and west of Quorn should be upgraded to function as a park. Given the lack of parks the protection of amenity green space is particularly Quorn important.  Many residents are within an appropriate distance of children’s facilities but quality of provision is low. Residents in west Quorn are outside recommended distance of young peoples facilities.  Shortfalls of junior football and mini-football.

86 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Other Issues:  Shortfall in the quantity of natural and semi-natural green space, although most residents are within appropriate distance of this type of open space.  Allotment provision meets recommended standards for quantity and accessibility, but quality is poor. Loss of Loughborough Road site may significantly affect access to provision. Significant Issues:  No parks within Rothley but scope to upgrade an amenity green space to a park. In the absence of a park protection of amenity green space is particularly important. New Hallfields Lane development will provide further amenity Rothley green space. Given the absence of natural green space need to identify ways of providing such space potentially within any new park.  Hallfields Lane housing scheme includes a new play area.  Shortfalls in the provision of mini-soccer and cricket pitches. Significant Issues:  No natural and semi-natural green space within Sileby with most of village outside recommended distance to such space. Consideration should be given to providing this type of open space, potentially within a park or amenity space.  Residents of north Sileby are outside the recommended distance for young people’s facilities, and railway line may be a barrier giving residents in west Sileby poor access to provision.  Shortfalls in junior and mini football provision.  Most residents are within the recommended distance of allotment provision, Sileby but there are significant shortfalls in overall quantity and quality of provision, and waiting lists at existing sites.  Need for further cemetery capacity.

Other Issues:  The even distribution of parks reduces the need for amenity spaces and such spaces are not required where a park is accessible within the recommended catchment for amenity green space. Although there are quantitative shortfalls, most residents are within the appropriate catchment. and there are some opportunities to improve sites. Significant Issues:  No natural or semi natural open space means shortfall in quantity and accessibility; also shortfall of amenity green space. As residents in east Syston are outside recommended distance to this type of open space new provision may be required. Elsewhere park provision means increased amenity green space provision is less important, and improved quality is priority. New provision being provided in Barkby Road development  Residents in east Syston are outside recommended distance for facilities for Syston children with situation made worse by the barrier created by the railway line. New provision being provided as part of developments on Barkby Road and Barkby Lane.  Residents in E & W Syston are outside recommended distance of facilities for young people  Shortfalls in junior and mini football, and cricket.  Allotment provision is below minimum standard even though most residents are within appropriate distance. There are also waiting lists.

87 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011  Need further cemetery provision. Significant Issues:  No park within parish.  Quantity of natural & semi-natural green space far exceeds recommended standards. Quantitative provision of amenity green space is above standards Woodhouse & but of low quality. Potential to upgrade an amenity space to function as a park. Woodhouse Eves

Other Issues:  Quantity of allotments is above standards, but of low quality.  Scope to improve quality of the churchyard Significant Issues:  No natural open space. The amount of amenity green space is marginally below recommended quantity but all residents are within the appropriate catchment. Opportunities to improve the quality of provision should be taken and new provision considered where required. Wymeswold Other Issues:  Quality of allotments, churchyards and cemetery is average  Opportunities to improve quality of play facilities and facilities for young people currently average. A new facility provided as part of the Wysall Lane housing scheme.

88 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 APPENDIX 6: SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analyses of Key Local Issues in Potential Service Centres

ANSTEY

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Busy village centre with good range of services  Loss of employment in village with significant out- and facilities commuting mainly by car.  Accessible location with good bus links for  Inadequate open, green spaces Leicester and reasonable bus links to some  Lack of some junior soccer facilities nearby villages  Pressures on car parking in village centre. Evidence  Fine rural village green (The Green) of use for ‘park and bus’ to Leicester  Located on edge of Charnwood Forest and close  Difficult for mobility scooters to travel round to Castle Hill Country Park village eg alleyways  Heavy traffic in The Nook and narrow pavements make centre unattractive for pedestrians  No bus links towards Birstall/ Syston/Glenfrith Hospital/Glenfield/Fosse Park  Poor cycle routes and facilities OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Create opportunities for local employment  High level of business rates  Safeguard existing retail facilities  Potential closure of public toilets  Provide natural and semi natural green spaces,  Level of healthcare not keeping up with growth of better quality allotments and young peoples sport village provision  Potential worsening of flooding along Rothley  Ensure village retains existing young families and Brook corridor attracts new ones  Further development harming village character and  Address traffic noise from A46 reducing separation with Groby/Glenfield/  Improve traffic management eg residents parking Cropston. schemes (Albion St & Gladstone St) and measures to improve pedestrian and cyclists safety  Better variety of shops needed  Address crime, ASB, litter, better bus links

89 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 BARROW UPON SOAR

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Good village centre with variety of services and  Significant recent and planned housing adversely facilities strong community identity. impacting on the village  Attractive residential village next to river Soar,  Lack of rented and starter homes including Pillings Lock, providing some  Traffic problems notably in village centre, the recreational needs bridge on Bridge St and some junctions. Problems  A relatively low crime rate are much worse at times of flooding  Reasonable access by bus and rail t  No parking provision at railway station leading to Loughborough and other settlements on-street parking problems  Difficult stepped access to rail station and insufficient, unreliable services  Narrow picturesque streets hampered by on street parking  Insufficient bus services especially at peak times, evenings and weekends  No designated cycle routes  Inadequate car parking in village centre  Loss of jobs in the village with high out-commuting mainly by car  Lack of natural and semi natural green space within the village  Low quality of childrens facilities  Young peoples facilities lacking in south of village  Demand for cricket pitches/allotments  Inadequate broadband speeds OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Enhance riverside, canal corridor and parks as  Young families moving away for suitable accessible green space employment or affordable housing.  Improve quality of shopfronts in village centre &  Further development impacting on schools and attract shops linked to tourism healthcare currently at capacity  Create a community focal point/facility  Improving Health Centre is difficult as the site is  More allotments and cricket pitch landlocked and has no direct road access  refine and enhance Barrow as a Service Centre  Potential adverse impacts of significant within the constraints of limiting its audience base development on community identity, surrounding  Create employment in the village open land and sites of archaeological interest  New doctors surgery (Wolds side of village  Potential worsening of flooding problems along the  Traffic management measures: Strengthen and river Soar and Fishpool Brook improve the Bridge Street bridge, upgrade Essex bridge/ Slash Lane as a flood free route to the A6; better signage of alternative routes to the A6 avoiding Bridge Street  Car park/drop off area on land at Hall Orchard school to alleviate congestion  Improve signage to existing public car parks and increase spaces, (derelict land at Three Crowns could add spaces at North Street car park)  Better mix of housing and more affordable homes

90 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 EAST GOSCOTE

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Compact, reasonably self-contained village  Lack of a rail station community with good range of family houses,  Lack of bus service to Loughborough and poor local employment, close to attractive countryside. evening services to Leicester  A friendly neighbourhood with local services and  Lack of a community transport scheme for less facilities, amenity open space and nearby golf mobile people course  Some congested junctions, on street parking  ready access by bus to nearby towns, notably problems and inadequate road crossings Syston and Melton, with better services and  Lack of recreational spaces, allotments and some facilities sports provision  Good healthcare facility  Inadequate street and open space lighting  Lack of provision for young people (sport, dance, computer access)  Limited retail offer eg no hardware, and limited opening hours  Out-commuting despite good local employment area. (In 2003 only 10% of residents surveyed worked in the village)  (In 2003) perceptions that some roads, paths, open spaces not kept clean  No cemetery OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Limit new housing to small scale affordable units  Further development breaching village boundaries helping protect the village without harming future and encroaching towards Rearsby/ Queniborough/ viability Syston  Provision for youths eg drop in centre  Crime and anti-social behaviour problems  Upgrade amenity open space to park or provide  Increasing elderly population natural green space and allotments  Improve public transport access and facilities  Improve sports facilities eg hall, tennis courts  improve local cycling facilities  increase the number of people living and working in the village  Improve access to river Wreake corridor for recreation

91 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 HATHERN

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Relatively affluent, well kept, small village with  Congested road network and increased traffic along limited need for regeneration and new the A6 severs the village and makes cycling development unattractive  Predominantly residential village with facilities  Lack of a main focal point or centre other than area able to serve some day to day needs of residents around the church  Accessible to attractive, quiet Soar valley  No natural /semi natural green spaces countryside and Garendon Park  Inadequate pavements along some roads  Reasonable accessibility by bus notably to nearby  No school or network bus service to secondary Loughborough and East Midlands Airport and upper provision at Burleigh and Garendon in  Good sports fields Loughborough OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Affordable housing for the village  Concerns about the potential loss of settlement  Scope for enhancement of the conservation area identity and surrounding green spaces through  Traffic management scheme and cycle facilities further development along A6 corridor through village (and a bypass if  Increased pressure on local infrastructure and loss justified) of village amenities  Improve provision for green spaces eg upgrade  Issues of vandalism and anti-social behaviour amenity space to a park in south west of village  Possible sand and gravel extraction and worsening  Provide more allotments of flooding problems in Soar valley  Well designed, small scale housing schemes properly integrated into village to help preserve village character and appearance

92 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 MOUNTSORREL

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Strong community  Vitality of village centre weakened by main  High quality leisure facilities provision being north of village  Stonehurst Farm is a popular visitor attraction  High housing growth and lack of employment  Regeneration in and around the village centre, makes village is least self contained in the Borough along A6 corridor and ex quarry with highest number of residents driving to work  Good bus services for parts of the village nearest  Public transport currently not meeting all local the former A6 needs, notably in west of village  Close to Charnwood Forest and Soar valley  Diverse population with intergenerational countryside problems.  Crime rate  Lack of children/ youth provision, especially in south and east of village  Lack of sports provision eg junior soccer, tennis  Rate of school exclusions is twice Borough and County levels.  Mountsorrel Centre is in top 10 most deprived LSOAs in Charnwood re income, employment, education and income deprivation affecting children  Lack of sustained family learning opportunities and initiatives  Speeding and inconsiderate parking OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Further enhancement of former A6 corridor  Gradual encroachment of village towards within a conservation area neighbouring Quorn & Rothley  Utilise recreational potential of river valley and  Impact of significant development on schools, improve linkages from valley to Swithland healthcare, library and other local services already Reservoir/ Charnwood Forest at capacity  Create local employment opportunities  Criminal damage and recorded domestic violence  Improve children/ youth provision and outdoor above Borough figures. Anti-social behaviour and sports underage drinking  Create natural green space within amenity space  Speeding traffic plus illegal and irresponsible parking and upgrade some amenity open space perhaps to  Possible sand and gravel extraction and worsening a park of flooding problems in Soar valley  Tackle problems in Priority Neighbourhood (see  Potential impact of Buddon Wood Quarry below) operations primarily on west side of village  Meet demand for allotments  CCTV and greater police presence  Traffic management measures

93 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Specific Mountsorrel Priority Neighbourhood issues

Stronger Communities

 high proportion of children under 15 puts pressure on local youth services  Poor living conditions of some residents creates resentment and lack of pride.

Economic, Growth & Learning

 70% of population are of working age but 31% of them are economically inactive  Moderate deprivation in terms of education, training and skills.  Limited education facilities. Rate of school exclusions twice the level of borough & county  Mountsorrel Centre is significantly deprived in terms of income, employment, deprivation affecting children and older people and education and moderately deprived in terms of health and crime.  Mountsorrel Centre has significant levels of children in income affected households

Community Safety

 Crime is relatively low but criminal damage, recorded domestic violence above Charnwood’s average.

94 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 QUORN

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Tidy, vibrant village centre with good mix of  Lack of low cost housing services and facilities  Lack of local employment and high levels of out  Strong education base commuting primarily by car  Attractive residential village with generous green  Some peak hour congestion issues particularly in spaces, important groups of trees and biodiversity and out of Loughborough  Located between recreational resources in Soar  Unregulated and in places inadequate parking in valley and Charnwood Forest village centre causing conflicts between needs of  Good range of bus services to nearby villages, visitors and residents, notably at night time Loughborough and Leicester  Inadequate parks, amenity and recreational spaces in village  Poor quality allotments  Lack of junior soccer OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Provide more affordable housing  Further housing taking open land, reducing  New employment land, preferably outside the separation with Loughborough/ Mountsorrel conservation area  Disturbance from activities at Buddon Wood  Provide a park and amenity/ recreational space quarry and address known needs of children/ young  ASB issues related to strong night time economy people and young people  Enhance ex A6 corridor as a street more in  Perceived high crime rate and general fear of crime keeping with historic village setting  Adverse traffic impacts from new development  Utilise tourism potential of Great Central Railway  Possible sand and gravel extraction and worsening with station on edge of village of flooding problems in Soar valley

95 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 ROTHLEY (excluding The Ridgeway Area)

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Compact, tidy village centre with reasonable  Lack of employment making village a dormitory range of shops and services community with high out commuting mainly by car  Attractive residential location with historic Town  Poor access to rail travel Green and ample amenity open spaces  Traffic congestion mainly at peak times on local  Good bus services to Loughborough and roads used to access A6 Leicester and intermediate villages  Lack of a bank, doctors surgery and secondary  Easy access to Charnwood Forest and Soar valley school adds to need to travel countryside and reasonably close to Wanlip  Primary school oversubscribed with no room to Country park expand and retain a playground.  No significant car park within easy walking distance of shops and narrow pavements. Parking is virtually all on-street and quite often full.  Lack of cycle facilities  Lack of a park and provision for junior soccer, cricket and young people OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Provision of local employment opportunities  Further housing in a village with already committed  Improve traffic management, pedestrian and cycle housing adding 17% to 2001 stock access in and around village centre  Expansion of village would harm attractive  Tourism potential linked to Great Central surrounding countryside and encroach towards Railway with station near village nearby Mountsorrel/ Ridgeway Area  Address deficiencies in recreation and open space  Possible sand and gravel extraction and worsening eg create a park and natural green spaces in of flooding problems in Soar valley village

96 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 SILEBY

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Strong community spirit  Village centre has lost its traditional purpose and is  Mainly residential village with reasonable bus and underused rail links to some nearby villages and  Limited capacity at Redhill primary school Loughborough, Leicester and Nottingham plus a  No natural and semi-natural green space. bus service to the Soar Valley Leisure Centre  Lack of young people facilities, junior soccer  New sports pavilion at the Memorial Park provision and allotments  Low levels of train travel reflecting limited services & information and the rail station not accessible by wheelchairs and less mobile people.  Low bus use reflecting lack of frequent services and poor Sunday services. More bus shelters needed  Blind spots and dangerous corners in village centre, parking problems and speeding vehicles  Poor pavement quality  Inability of elderly to visit friends  Reduced employment in village and increased out- commuting  Flooding adversely impacts on travel creating longer journeys. Sileby Brook needs to be remodelled  Too many small homes with 60% terraced/ semi detached in the village (or according to Places in Charnwood 2009 the Parish Plan 2008-09 indicates any further housing should be restricted to starter homes and affordable housing)  Too many employment sites replaced by housing and no real regeneration benefits for social village life OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Smarten up village centre and strengthen retail  New development harming community identity offer so it can thrive as an attractive destination. with the village encroaching towards Barrow/  Measures to reduce traffic impacts in and around Seagrave/ Cossington village centre  Further housing growth without enough community  Improve bus services, bus shelters and better facilities access to rail station,  Low educational attainment in young and adults  Regenerate/ improve the quality of the  ASB, youth issues and vandalism create a fear of environment in parts of the village perceived as crime amongst residents. depressing and scruffy  Possible sand and gravel extraction and worsening  Address needs of young people and desire for of flooding problems in Soar valley modern facilities  Better, more secure parking  Employment land to recreate a mixed economy  Provide natural green spaces, better allotments & further cemetery capacity

97 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 SYSTON

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Strong community  Parts of Syston East are in top 10 most deprived areas in  Market town with reasonable mix of land uses terms of education. With limited number of 16 yr olds in  Busy, well managed and attractive town centre education. Income deprivation is relatively high. with good range of services and facilities  Local employment is highly dependent on manufacturing.  Good bus and rail services linking to a number  High commuter rate to city for employment mainly by of nearby villages and higher order centres car  Ready access to attractive recreational facilities  Night time economy related issues in Watermead Country Park  Some children and young people do not have good access to facilities  Lack of recreational space and facilities  Traffic congestion and lack of parking for commuters into town  Poor pedestrian safety at junction of Melton Road/High Street and Barkby Road  Empty shops, rubbish and litter on streets give a poor impression  Lack of safe cycling routes in the centre of the town due to narrow roads and pavements  Lack of Town Council involvement in the local community OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Meet needs of diverse population with  Further growth not adequately supported by services increased migration of BME and large and facilities and lack of funds to improve them proportion of elderly residents (27%)  More greenfield development harming community  Environmental enhancement of town centre identity with town encroaching towards Thurmaston/ public realm/ conservation area Queniborough/ Barkby  More specialist shops in town centre  Growing population pressurising infrastructure notably  Measures to reduce the impact of traffic, schools and parking notably in town centre  Loss of essential services, in particular local fire and  Tackle problems in Priority Neighbourhood ambulance stations (see below)  Adverse impacts on town centre of traffic congestion,  Brownfield sites and commercial properties lack of parking, and competition from nearby centres suitable for employment development. notably Thurmaston.  Improve frequency of rail services and more destinations, notably Melton  Provide natural, semi-natural and amenity green spaces and improve allotment provision  Further cemetery capacity  Address needs of children & young people eg junior soccer

98 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 Issues for Syston Priority Neighbourhood:

Stronger Communities

 A smaller proportion of the population aged 16-29 (14%) compared with Charnwood (17%) and county (16%) and a higher concentration of older people.

Health & Wellbeing

 c25% of population of Syston East and West Wards estimated to be obese or smokers. Levels of obesity in Syston East amongst the highest in Charnwood

Economic, Growth & Learning

 Good access to good range of education, health, other services and amenities  71% of population are of working age with 69% of them economically active  Syston East has a large net out flow of people travelling out of the ward to work  A relatively large number of people in Syston East and Syston West commute to other boroughs or districts to work  Fewer children achieve grades A* to C at GCSE compared to Charnwood & County

Community Safety

 Crime rate fell by 13% 2005/06 to 2006/07

Violence against person and criminal damage account for 43% of recorded crime & rates of domestic violence generally slightly higher than in Charnwood or county

99 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 WOODHOUSE EAVES

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Attractive rural, residential village with good  Limited services and facilities quality of life and very attractive setting  Loss of local employment sites means significant out enhanced by hills and woodland with green commuting mainly by car corridors and spaces permeating village  Insufficient retail base to retain more than day to day  Vibrant neighbourhood watch scheme making trade crime and safety more fear than reality  Lack of smaller/ cheaper homes for young and old  Travel Watch Group helping address speeding  Flytipping traffic  Limited bus services for many types of trips  Proximity to Loughborough and Quorn with  No cycle facilities in the village better provision for work, shopping, services  Off-street parking is limited on some roads. etc  Crime  Some narrow pavements in central parts of village  No park OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Strong tourism potential linked to nearby Great  Encroachment of village harming attractive Charnwood Central Railway, local beauty spots, wildlife Forest countryside, eroding key characteristic of low interests. building density on all approaches to the village and also  Provide affordable homes reducing separation with Woodhouse  Significant vacant site in central location in  Speeding traffic on local roads still a hazard especially village for schoolchildren  Improve accessibility to natural green spaces  New employment development harmful to village and quality of allotments character  Improve quality of churchyard  Improve quality of allotments  Upgrade amenity open space to function as a park  Improve fabric of village hall and scout hut  Greater police presence  Parking enforcement and traffic management measures  Safe routes for horse riders  Dental practice  Better and more frequent bus services  Develop renewable energy initiatives

100 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 WYMESWOLD

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES  Attractive, rural, residential village with a good  No real village centre reputation, a nice place to live, a balanced and  Very few employment sites in the village varied population and friendly spirit  Loss of full-time village, Post Office, grocery store and  Nearby Wymeswold Industrial Estate offers flower shop despite significant growth over last 10 some job opportunities. years  Strong Primary School expected to be at  Lack of healthcare facilities capacity for the next five years.  The busy A6006 through the village causes noise, vibration, pedestrian safety issues  Lack of public transport access notably to nearest health facilities or secondary schools in Barrow or East Leake.  No natural open space  Litter, fly tipping and poor paths  Crime in village OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Provide affordable housing  Some concern about the future economic viability of  Better employment opportunities remaining village services such as the shop, three pubs,  Traffic management and environmental butcher’s shop and pharmacy. improvements along the A6006 corridor  Lack of affordable housing pushing youngsters to move  Better bus services particularly on Sundays/in to nearby Barrow, East Leake and Keyworth. evenings and to more destinations  Increased noise from motor sport activities on  Provide open space and improve quality of Wymeswold Airfield recreational facilities  Development harming attractive character and rural  more activities for young people setting of village nestled in the Wolds  Improve quality of churchyards and cemetery  Improve quality of allotments  Provide a doctors surgery  CCTV and greater police presence

101 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 GENERAL PLANS

102 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011 PLANS FOR EACH POTENTIAL SERVICE CENTRE SHOWING:

 Main Services And Facilities  Bus & Rail Access  Indication Of Housing Land Supply  Main Planning Constraints

Note: A separate key is included at the end of the Report after the plans.

This should be opened out to full A3 size so it can be read alongside each map.

103 Charnwood 2026 Local Development Framework – Core Strategy SERVICE CENTRE CAPACITY ASSESSMENT (FINAL REPORT) December 2011