Aston Flamville, Croft, Huncote, Leicester Forest West, Potters Marston, Sapcote, Sharnford, Stoney Stanton, Thurlaston and Wigston Parva HUNCOTE: THE FUTURE Fosse Villages Neighbourhood Plan Winter August 2016/17 2016 Neighbourhood Plan Over recent years, the Fosse Villages have taken their first steps towards producing a Neighbourhood Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan offers the chance for all residents and businesses to have their say on future development within the “The neighbourhood area and influence how their neighbourhood evolves. Huncote is one of the Fosse plan gives us a chance Villages and it faces many challenges and opportunities over the coming years. By working together we can ensure the village develops in a way that meets the to say how development needs of everyone. should take place. Since 2012 the Fosse Villages Board has consulted those living and working in Without it, developers Huncote, together with key stakeholders, asking how you wish to see the village develop to 2029. This leaflet is a summary of the key issues you have raised and will make those choices options for the future of the village. The full Fosse Villages Issues and Options for us” Report is available to download from www.fossevillages.org.uk. - Mike Lee What is a neighbourhood plan? Chairman of the Fosse Villages Board Neighbourhood planning is a new way for communities to decide the future of the places where they live and work. A Neighbourhood Plan can set out a vision for an area and planning policies for use and development of land. Like other plans, the Fosse Villages Neighbourhood Plan will form part of the statutory planning framework for the area and it will be used to decide future planning applications. Our vision for 2029: Individual character of Huncote is maintained There are good opportunities for local work Development is supported by new infrastructure Impact of traffic is reduced Important open areas are protected New homes meet local housing needs St James the Greater www.fossevillages.org.uk https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/fossevillages Croft Quarry Excavation at Croft Quarry has been going on for hundreds of years, but the quarry is nearing the end of its economic life. The potential closure of the quarry has raised concerns about the loss of local jobs. There are also raised worries about its potential for landfill– but that seems unlikely to happen. Croft Quarry How much more housing development? We don’t have an entirely free hand over how the plan is prepared. We must have regard to the Government’s national planning policies and the development plan for the area- the Blaby Local Plan (Core Strategy). Since 2006, 83 new houses have been built in Huncote and there are plans for around 100 more. Many of these are at Jelson’s Two Oaks site south of Narborough Road, where building is almost Field View Close complete. Most of the remainder will be on Denman Lane where planning permission was granted for 60 units in April 2016. Here permission was granted on appeal by a Government inspector Affordable against the wishes of local people. housing Taking account of what has already been built and permitted, Four affordable homes in Field View Close have been built as part Huncote does not need to find sites for more new houses on of the overall development there. greenfield sites. In early 2011, the demolition of 32 prefabricated houses on Quarry View Close (Duncan Avenue) was completed by East Midlands Housing Association. 49 new properties (9 privately owned, 10 shared ownership and 30 rental properties) were built to replace them on the same site. The new homes are very popular and we may need to find sites for Denman Lane illustrative masterplan more affordable houses. Traffic With no passenger rail station, and poor bus services, footways and cycleways, there is no realistic alternative to the private car for many residents in the Fosse Villages area. However, local roads are already over- loaded with cars and HGVs, with many lorries seeking to gain access to the Strategic Road Network (SRN), such as the A5 and M1. With more development and car use the problems caused by traffic will get worse. The Fosse Villages forms part of the County Council’s South West Leicester and Leicestershire Transport Project area. The project is looking at a range of options to improve access to the SRN and address local problems, but proposals for a Sharnford Bypass will not be taken forward as it offers poor value for money. Sharnford The Project is currently on hold while Highways England investigate options for improving the performance of the Strategic Protecting the character Road Network in and around M1 J21 as part of the of Huncote proposals to deliver Smart Motorway between M1 J19 We want to conserve the unique character and identity of Huncote. We will do this and M1 J23a. The delivery by safeguarding the Fosse Villages landscape, protecting the countryside between of any schemes will be villages, identifying green areas of local importance within Huncote, protecting and subject to the availability of enhancing heritage assets and the natural environment, and through the design of funding. new buildings. Rail Many residents commute to Green Spaces Leicester or the West Important green spaces were also identified by local people during consultation on Midlands, so we would like the Fosse Villages Neighbourhood Plan in September 2012. The main green to see a new station on the spaces identified are shown on the centre pages, but we can only protect green existing Birmingham to spaces that meet certain criteria. Peterborough line that runs through the Fosse Villages area. In the past, land has been safeguarded for a Heritage station at Station Road, Although there are three Listed Buildings in Huncote, other buildings are also Croft. A new station within considered important by local people. These include the older houses on Brook the Fosse Villages area Street, Chandlers Cottage on Croft Hill Road, the Old School House and Red Lion would offer an opportunity PH. for more sustainable travel and relieve some of the traffic problems in the area. Possible Strategic Rail Interchange? The M69 Strategic Rail Interchange We have become aware of a proposal for a huge The Fosse Villages employment, housing and rail freight hub on green fields south of Earl Shilton and west of Stoney Stanton. Much The Leicestershire Fosse Villages Neighbourhood of it is located in the parishes of Sapcote and Stoney Plan area comprises the following 10 Parishes: Stanton. Parish Councils Croft, Huncote, Sapcote, Sharnford, Stoney Stanton Developers DB Symmetry have devised early proposals and Thurlaston for the rail interchange between the B4669, B581 and the railway on a 780 acre site dissected by the M69. Parish Meetings Aston Flamville, Leicester Forest West, Potters Applications for nationally significant projects like this are Marston and Wigston Parva normally dealt with by the Planning Inspectorate rather than local councils. The Secretary of State makes the In December 2014, Elmesthorpe Parish Council final decision on whether to grant or refuse development withdrew from the Fosse Villages group. This has consent. caused significant delays to the preparation of our neighbourhood plan, but we are now keen to make The process begins when the Planning Inspectorate is good progress. informed by a developer that they intend to submit an application in the future. Before submitting an application, On the opposite page is a map showing the plan the developer is required to carry out extensive area which was approved earlier this year. consultation on their proposals. In this case, that process has not started. Our Neighbourhood Plan can have no say on the proposal, but we would still like your views. The Fosse Villages Neighbourhood Area Leicester Forest West Thurlaston Huncote Potters Marston Croft Stoney Stanton Sapcote Aston Flamville Sharnford Wigston Parva Let us know what you think Contact Us Along with this newsletter we have prepared a questionnaire Give us a call for more information about the which seeks your views on the main issues facing Huncote neighbourhood plan and the other Fosse Villages. We encourage every member of your household to complete this questionnaire. Your Huncote Parish Council answers to these questions will help us prepare the next 01455 844539 version of the Neighbourhood Plan. [email protected] The questionnaire is available online at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/fossevillages Visit us on the web at : Your completed questionnaire should be returned by Friday www.fossevillages.org.uk 31 March 2017. Paper copies of the questionnaire are available from and can be returned to: Alec Knight 23 Narborough Road, Huncote, Leicestershire LE9 3AW Huncote Parish Council c/o 3 Mountfield Road, Earl Shilton, Leicestershire LE9 7LW www.fossevillages.org.uk https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/fossevillages .