Strategy for 20,000 new city homes set for approval

A plan earmarking land for thousands of new homes in Leicester over the next 10 years is set to be approved by councillors.

Leicester City Council faces a government-set target of finding sites for 20,730 homes by 2036 to accommodate the city's growing population.

The Labour-run authority is set to vote to adopt its new local plan - a strategy for allocating potential housing and new employment sites - at a meeting on Thursday.

Campaigners have warned the proposed plan risks destroying remaining vital green spaces in the city.

The city's local plan, which has been assessed by a government planning inspector, sets out proposals to concentrate more than 6,000 homes in the city centre, while proposing four strategic housing sites on the edge of Leicester for development.

The council said the plan would allocate sites for 3,362 new homes, alongside 7,188 homes that already have planning permission.

However, it warns there is not enough space to accommodate the city's full housing target within its current boundaries, and that an "unmet need" of 18,694 homes will have to be built in surrounding districts in Leicestershire, with their agreement.

The 131-acre (53-hectare) former Western Park Golf course in the north west of the city has been allocated as a site for 412 homes and industrial buildings.

A similar-sized site to the east of the current city council-led Ashton Green development, in Beaumont Leys, could take a further 670 homes, as well as a new 1,200-pupil school.

A further 420 homes are proposed on a site north of the A46 Western Bypass, along with new health and education facilities.

At least 336 homes are also proposed on another site west of Anstey Lane.

The city council said it would work with developers to promote the sites and would aim for 30% of the new homes to be affordable.

The authority said dozens of further smaller sites across the city could be developed to help reach the housing target.

Glenfield resident Steve Walters, of the Western Golf Course Area Action Group, has campaigned against the development of the area since the city council closed the golf course 12 years ago.

"It would be devastating to lose this amazing area," he said.

"We've always argued such large-scale development would cause flooding and we'd lose one of the last large green areas in this part of the city.

"It has so much wildlife - badger, muntjac deers, and more.

"The city council will tell you all the brownfield sites are exhausted, but we think they could do more before targeting prime green land."

The proposed local plan also includes plans for a 49.4-acre (20-hectare) industrial development, as well as a transit site with gypsy and traveller pitches, at Beaumont Park in Beaumont Leys.

Conservative city councillor for Beaumont Leys, Hazel Orton, said 3,300 people had signed a petition against the development.

"When this place is gone, it's gone," she said.

"It would be desecration.

"We think they could condense the industrial buildings into a much smaller area and keep most of the green space."

Deputy city mayor Elly Cutkelvin said: "I totally understand why people might resist building on green spaces, but this is a high-level strategic document to show the government we have a serious plan to meet its target.

"It's not approving any development on any site, and residents will be able to engage with the plans as individual applications go in.

"I would say that 71% of the housing allocation in the plan is earmarked for brownfield sites."

Cutkelvin said the council would start a further review of the local plan shortly after it was formally adopted.

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