Oak Road Littlethorpe Planning Application Refusal
The proposed development at Oak Road in Littlethorpe was refused by the Blaby District Council Planning Committee last week. The application, submitted by Gladman Developments Ltd, sought outline permission for up to 155 residential dwellings, including affordable housing, public open space, landscaping, and sustainable drainage systems.
The key reason for refusal was that the site is designated as countryside in the Blaby District Local Plan. The committee determined that the loss of this greenfield land was not justified by the need for housing in this location. The development was considered an unwarranted urban intrusion beyond the well-defined settlement boundary of Littlethorpe, causing significant and demonstrable harm to the local landscape, countryside, and village character. The proposal was deemed contrary to Policy CS18 of the Blaby District Local Plan (Core Strategy) and Policy DM2 of the Blaby District Local Plan (Delivery) Development Plan Document.
It will be interesting to see whether the applicant decides to appeal this decision.
More details of the Countesthorpe Foston Road Development
The Reserved Matters application for the development of 170 houses on Leicester Road / Foston Road was submitted this week. This application outlines the proposed site layout, house types, and other key details. It is disappointing to see that Active Travel England—the government body responsible for assessing whether developments support cycling to schools, shops, workplaces, and other destinations—has not provided specific feedback beyond their standard guidance.