Melton Council to consider road sale to enable 90 low cost homes to be built

The Lake Terrace development for 90 affordable new homes - the household waste and recycling site is shown to the south and the proposed landscaping area stretching from south to north on the site EMN-210115-155056001

GS Developments, in partnership with Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA), has planning permission for 48 affordable properties and 42 with shared ownership on a site off Lake Terrace.

The development would envelop the town tip and recycling centre and residents would need to use the same road as visitors to the waste site.

Lake Terrace is owned jointly by Melton Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council and the developers need to buy a stretch of it for their scheme, with building of the homes set to begin in March ready for the first residents to move in from the summer of 2022.

The section of Lake Terrace which developers want to buy as part of their access to a new housing development EMN-210115-155106001

The borough council’s planning committee will discuss whether to sell part of Lake Terrace at a cabinet meeting next week with officers recommending the land sale is approved.

A report to go before councillors says that the properties would provide an opportunity for many more low income families to buy their own homes, as well as reducing the number of people who might be homeless.

It states: “A sale price has been agreed with the developer ‘in principle’ subject to contract, cabinet approval and the developer’s board approval.

“The access land will be a publically adopted road section, at an estimated cost to the developer of £150,000, which will benefit the council by removing the current repair and maintenance liability for the council.”

The Lake Terrace access road (top) and the field where 90 affordable homes are due to be built EMN-210115-155116001

The developer would build footpaths and street lighting on Lake Terrace and it would also enhance the access to the waste and recycling site, as well as the authority’s adjacent allotments at no cost to the council, the report continues.

Consideration has been given to the environmental effects on residents who would live in the new homes, so close to the waste and recycling facilities.

The report states: “Building homes close to the depot would bring approxinately 250 to 300 more people living in the close proximity to the depot site who would be impacted by the operations and activities at the depot.

“This has the potential to increase the number of complaints for the council’s environmental health team for noise, smells, etc.

“An appropriate landscaping scheme could help manage this and protect the interest of both the new residents as well as the depot’s operation.

“The planning conditions for reserved matters for the development have included this aspect.”

The proposed mix of new homes in the development would include four one-bed properties, 50 two-beds and 36 with three bedrooms.