Council throws out two more residential plans for village

Two more planning applications for up to a total of 250 dwellings in Countesthorpe have been refused by Blaby District Council’s Planning Committee.

Both proposed developments were originally submitted in February 2017 by Gladman Developments, and are located adjacent to each other, off Peatling Road in the south of the village. The Council says the schemes were recommended for refusal by Planning Officers after it conflicted with policies set out by the Blaby District Local Plan, which seeks to promote sustainable development.

The news comes less than a month after the refusal of an application of up to 170 dwellings in Countesthorpe by Catesby Estates was upheld by The High Court.

The Gladman applications, had they been approved, would have caused: “significant harm to the character and appearance of the countryside and would result in an unsustainable form of residential development.”

Traffic from the proposed developments were considered to generate: “traffic levels and environmental problems which will result in detrimental harm to the character and appearance of the area.”

Officers also concluded that not enough information has been given to make a decision about vehicle access to each site, and were also able to show enough housing developments in Countesthorpe over the next five years.

Cat Hartley, group manager for planning and economic development, said: “These are now the fourth and fifth housing developments in Countesthorpe we have refused within the last year, and reaffirms our commitment to ensuring we will not approve applications that are not sustainable.

“Applications are judged against policies set out both nationally and by this Council, and will be approved only if they meet the correct criteria. I welcome this decision after over a year of hard work by the Planning team.”