Harborough Local Plan 2011-2031, Proposed Submission

The original Magna Park site was built on a former RAF aerodrome which could be considered as a brownfield site. The two outstanding planning applications for the proposed Magna Park expansion area are for land which is currently agricultural land. This conflicts with paragraphs 111 and 112 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): The proposed submission of the Harborough Local Plan 2011 to 2031 does not consider whether there are any brownfield sites which could be used in preference to the agricultural land currently proposed. The visual and light pollution impact of a Magna Park expansion would be detrimental to local villages. Since the creation of Magna Park in 1988 local villages have suffered from extensive visual and light intrusion. Tree screening measures are still highly ineffective meaning that overnight light pollution is highly invasive and disruptive, the aspirations of policy BE2 would further exacerbate these issues for residents in the local villages.

Implementation of Policy BE2 would certainly have an unacceptable environmental, community and landscape impact on the immediate and wider surrounding area.

Policy GD6 of the proposed Local Plan suggests an Area of Separation should be implemented between Bitteswell/Lutterworth/Magna Park, to maintain separation of both Lutterworth and Bitteswell from Magna Park. There is no mention in the proposed Local Plan of maintaining an Area of Separation between Magna Park and Ullesthorpe who are equally at risk.

Affordable Housing: Is 40% affordable housing viable or deliverable? This amounts to 1,100
affordable housing units for the proposed Lutterworth East development.

Specialist Housing: Lutterworth is surrounded by a great number of villages who are all facing
the same problem, there are not enough properties for elderly people wishing to downsize. There is a definite need for extra care provision. On the proposed Lutterworth East development implementation of this policy would allow for 275 properties of this nature, is this sufficient,
particularly when considered against the 40% affordable housing requirement.