GD4 clause 1

Sound/ support.
As with GD3.1 these criteria will hopefully ensure the steady continuation of small rural communities and rural businesses.

The policy effectively permits development everywhere and there are too many provisos such that it is an encouragment to developers to seek approval given this open door policy

Add exclusion of development in separation areas to policy

I am writing this regarding the proposed District Plan with specific reference to the Parish of Arnesby. Under the new proposal several areas previously designated as "important open space" have had that designation quite rightly removed. They do not serve either the 'public' or any other 'important' function. However it would appear that the Parish Council are unreasonably committed to preventing any small scale infill building within Arnesby and seem to be pushing to have such designations retained.
Arnesby has become an exclusive village and over the years the lack of affordable housing has driven away those born and bred in the village in my case where generations of my family have lived and worked. Continuing with such restrictions will stifle and limit the community as young and old will be unable to afford to live in what could quite easily become an exclusive commuter estate - with no local amenities. I hope the Planners will be allowed to put through a plan that allows for reasonable infill so that Arnesby can be a family community not just an exclusive housing development.

Thurnby and Bushby Parish Council supports as sound.

I am writing this in specific reference to the proposed district plan in reference to the Parish of Arnesby.

I have seen the proposal from the planners at Harborough Council which I am broadly in support of. However I am concerned that the Parish Council is seeking to use a local "Referendum" to effectively override the proposed plan and impose a reversion to the existing plan which has a number of anomalously designated land.

Historically significant areas within the village have been subject to the designation of "Important Public Open Space" which, following our discussions with the planning officers are not supportable in legal terms, as that much of the land so designated is neither public, open or serving any important function.

I believe that much of this was imposed in the 1970s as a blunt tool to restrict a proposed major development, however in the current era where such matters are more open to scrutiny it would be legally dubious to try and sustain the designation.

I would hope that the planners will resist the pressure from the Parish Council to revert to the old plan.

The unforeseen impact over the 40 years that the existing plan has been in place has limited the possibility of even small scale building in the village and contributed to the loss of local amenities such as Post Office, Public House, bus service, shops and factories. Indeed the Post Office, shops and factories have been converted or demolished to generate housing.

Maintaining such restrictions will simply continue the negative impact on the village, forcing the young and elderly to leave because many of the areas simply because of the limited housing.
I fear that the Parish Council is being excessively influenced by residents seeking to prevent local building to maintain the exclusivity and thus cost of an Arnesby House.

I grew up in the village but like many was forced to leave for study and work and priced out of returning and seeing the continued unjust imposition of excessively restrictive planning rules would be unfortunate for future generations.