Hundreds of new homes approved north of Melton Mowbray

The developments are part of the Melton North Sustainable Neighbourhood with developers contributing millions of pounds towards local infrastructure and a package of new facilities including potentially a new primary school.

Members of Melton Borough Council gave the go-ahead for work to start after the authority liaised with housebuilders for the last five years.

Nearly 100 objections were made against the developments but councillors felt the new properties were desperately needed in the town, with hundreds of them being classed as ‘affordable’ homes.

All have been given outline permission meaning detailed planning applications will need to be approved at a later date.

Taylor Wimpey will construct 480 on field to the south of Spinney Farm, off Melton Spinney Road.

This is where a primary school will also be built if County Hall decides it is required for new families in the area.

There will be 575 properties built by Barwood Lane on fields off Scalford Road, with potential for either a health centre, community building or shop to be added, along with a sports field and children’s play areas.

The third site is also off Scalford Road with William Davis having outline permission to construct up to 175 houses, along with allotments, a community orchard, play areas and open space.

Sarah Whetton, group land director for William Davis Homes, said: “We will now put forward a planning application which will address the detailed elements of our proposals, including the development’s layout, the designs and sizes of the homes, and landscaping across the site.

“Our development will bring investment to the area in terms of spend on building materials, job opportunities on site, and more, while creating quality new homes to help address the shortage across the region and nationally.”

Most public opposition to the plans came for the Spinney Farm site, where 90 objections were made.

Local services and infrastructure, including the Melton Mowbray Distributor Road, will be benefit by around £30million through developer contributions from the sites.

Up to 7.5 per cent of the properties on each of the three sites will be classed as ‘affordable’ homes.