Planning specialists Marrons Planning has helped gain permission for 49 new homes in the Leicestershire countryside – after the plans were turned down three times.
Marrons – which is based in Leicester and is part of the Shakespeare Martineau group – helped secure permission for the houses in the former mining village of Thornton. The village sits above Thornton Reservoir in the Charnwood Forest.
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council had previously turned down the plans for the 7 acre site in Hawthorn Drive following objections from residents.
Concerns included the impact on the countryside, that they would increase congestion in the village and that the junction from Hawthorn Drive into Main Street had poor visibility.
The most recent application by Barwood Homes and J H Hallam & Son Limited was refused last July.
The developers appealed to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate, with the appeal co-ordinated by Marrons.
Marrons partner Andrew Gore argued the plans should go ahead because of a shortage of land for housing in the area and said the local housing and settlement boundary policies were out-of-date.
He also said there was a shortage of affordable housing nearby – with some of the new homes for low income families – and argued the site was accessible and sustainable.
He said: “We are delighted that permission for this scheme has now been granted.
“We worked positively with council officers throughout the application process – ultimately delivering a recommendation of approval at the planning committee, which was subsequently overturned by members.
“The scheme will provide a range of house types and sizes, creating a sustainable, inclusive and mixed community, while also increasing footfall and revenue for the village’s shops.
“The delivery of 20 affordable dwellings – 40 per cent of the development’s total – will make an important contribution to meeting the council’s affordable housing need.
“A large area of public open space will also be constructed, alongside the improved management of a woodland belt – delivering ecological enhancements with biodiversity benefits.”
The development will have 19 three-bedroom and 10 four-bedroom houses for sale, and 20 affordable homes, made up of four one-bedroom homes, eight two-bedroom houses, and eight three-bedroom properties.
The first planning application was made in December 2014 and despite being recommended for approval by officers, was refused at planning committee in March 2015.
It was rejected as it was deemed that the area did not have the infrastructure or services to support the new homes.
A revised planning application was submitted in April 2016 and was again refused in June 2016.
The latest application was submitted in June 2020.
