PROTECTING towns and villages from speculative developments is the driving force behind a new blueprint for future development in the Lutterworth area – and residents have less than a month to have their say.
Harborough District Council (HDC) has put its new Local Plan out to public consultation.
The current Harborough District Local Plan, which was adopted in 2019, sets out the vision, objectives, and planning policies for the Harborough district up to 2031.
The council says the plan ensures residents have access to places to live and work, supported by the appropriate infrastructure – and enables the council to refuse development that is not in accordance with the plan.
Although the adopted plan is still valid, the council is preparing a new one to ensure the development plan remains up to date, in line with Government guidance.
The consultation focuses on key planning issues, including homes, jobs, heritage, town centres, climate change, biodiversity and protection of important open spaces.
Responses received during the public consultation will be used to inform the next stage of preparing the new local plan.
Once adopted, the new plan will set out planning policies in the Harborough district up to 2041.
The council says it will also ensure development meets priorities for housing, employment, community facilities, transport and other infrastructure.
HDC’s planning spokesman Coun Simon Galton said: “It’s really important that local people have the opportunity to feed in their views at this early stage of the process of developing a new local plan for the Harborough district. I encourage residents, parish councils and local community groups to read the consultation document and submit their comments.
“We have got to move forward with the district’s local plan to keep control of where development goes in our district and protect against speculative applications from developers. It’s essential that we protect our towns and villages for every member of our community now and for future generations.”
An exhibition is open at the council offices in Market Harborough, and in-person events are also taking place across the district where residents can hear more about the issues and options, and ask questions.
Visit http://tinyurl.com/252sje86 for more information, including details of public drop-in events – or to take part in the consultation, which closes on February 27.
