New housing plan would increase Stathern by one-fifth

Developer Davidsons wants to build 74 new properties on former agricultural land, allocated for housing in the Melton Local Plan, off Main Street in Stathern.

The applicant is offering to provide 12 parking spaces at the south end of the site for unrestricted public use as a contribution towards allevivating parking congestion in the area linked to the opening and closing times of the nearby primary school.

Around a third of the proposed homes would be affordable properties and the developer is also pledging to pay around £500,000 to support local education, £22,435 towards health services and a £62,000 contribution for the upgrading and expansion of the Village Hall.

Widespread consultation was carried out with the Stathern community and its elected representatives but there remain strong opposition to the scheme with the parish council voicing concern about some areas of design and the density of the proposed development.

And, in addition, 56 residents have written to the borough council planning committee to object to the plans with many saying it represent too many new homes and the extra cars would create traffic congestion and dangers.

There are currently 314 homes in Stathern, according to a report to go before the planners, so the development would see a 19 per cent increase in properties.

Davidsons cite in their application that the Local Plan earmarks 65 homes on their 3.6 hectare site, which would have an access on to Main Street almost opposite the 90 degree bend where it joins Mill Hill.

The market value properties in what is a full planning application would comprise eight two-bed, 22 three-bed and 20 four-bed with the affordable homes - 32 per cent of the site - being one, two and three-bed properties for rent, shared ownership and discounted market price.

The parish council points out that there are nine more homes proposed than the allocated proportion in the Local Plan and members are also unhappy that the affordable properties are not spread more evenly through the site rather than being grouped together and that they would be located further from the village’s amenities than market priced houses.

Stathern War Memorial Institute’s committee objects on the grounds it is over-development and the additional population would put a strain on local resources.

Borough council officials are recommending approval of the scheme, subject to new traffic calming features being funded by the developer on Mill Hill and contributions to infrastructure costs.

A report to go before councillors states that it would not impact adversely on neighbouring existing homes Valebrook Road, Swallows Drive, Walnut Close, Farriers Way and Chapel Lane and that the level of density was acceptable.

Traffic fears were also discounted in the report on the grounds that county highways did not object and because there were few recorded accidents in that part of the village with vehicles usually moving slowly because of the road layout and on-street parking.