Committee reluctantly accepts Richborough’s Hinckley pitch
After tussling with the land promoter over the location of a roundabout joining the A47, members concluded they had little choice but to vote in favour of proposals for up to 415 homes.
Hinckley & Bosworth Council’s planning committee met on 9 September to discuss the application, submitted by Richborough Estates in partnership with Mr & Mrs Adcock, Mrs Morrison and Mr Mayn.
Richborough is looking for consent at a site to the north of the A47 Normandy Way. The proposals were initially heard at August’s meeting, with a decision deferred after members raised concerns including the roundabout’s location, and likely noise. Officers have since discussed these matters with the applicant.
The site is north of Hinckley, west of Ashby Road. Westfield Farm lies in the middle of the site but is outside of the application red line. The Hinckley & Bosworth Community Hospital is situated to the north-east of the site.
The roundabout giving access to the A47 has been a contentious issue. Credit: planning documents
Advising on the project is a team including planning consultancy Boyer, BWB, transport planner Hub, landscape architect and ecologist Zebra, and RPS.
Richborough’s site is referred to as Hinckley North Phase Two, with phase one having been cleared for 475 homes at appeal. Reserved matters approval is now being sought there.
As for phase two, perhaps the largest factor is H&BC’s current inability to demonstrate a five-year housing supply, a material consideration at any time, and particularly so at present, clearly looming in the minds of members who spoke of the government’s determination “to drive housing forward”. Policy would also dictate that around 20% of these would be affordable homes, another key driver.
Approval was recommended by officers, subject to the withdrawal of an objection from Highways England, and the completion of a hefty Section 106 agreement, with powers delegated to the head of planning to determine the final details of this deal.
Among committee members, Cllr Stuart Bray said his preference would be to refuse, due to loss of countryside, impact on local residents, and “yet another roundabout”. He continued: The problem is we know where refusal would end up, as we’ve already seen neighbouring fields lost at appeal”.
Cllr Bray referred to a third case in another area, which had seen £500,000 in costs mount up, concluding “I would love to refuse, but don’t think we’d be serving our people well by doing so”. He urged that officers continue to prevail on Richborough over the roundabout issue.
Cllr Scott Gibbens contributed his displeasure at the applicant’s lack of engagement with members and residents over that issue and said “we need to watch them carefully”.
Members voted 10 in favour, with three against and two abstentions. The plans can be viewed on H&BC’s planning portal with the reference 24/00264/OUT.
