Planning - Croft Lodge

The proposed development is located outside, but adjacent to, the settlement boundary of Croft, as defined in the adopted Blaby Local Plan. It has, however, been documented that Blaby District Council has a severe shortage of market and affordable housing and that Croft is recognised as being a sustainable location for development. The Council’s Core Strategy adopted in 2013 is now 11 years old and work on the replacement Local Plan is on-going.

National Planning Policy states that where a local planning authority cannot demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing sites (as is now the case in Blaby) planning permission for new housing should be granted “unless any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits”.

A suite of technical surveys and assessment work has been carried out to inform the proposed scheme. This work has identified the following, which has fed into the illustrative masterplan:

LANDSCAPE

The retention and enhancement of existing vegetation, where possible, to create a strong green framework for the site and help boost wildlife habitats;
A green buffer zone should be created along the western boundary, planted with native shrubs and trees to soften and screen views into the site; and
A further green buffer should be created adjacent to the boundary with the spinney, to create a biodiverse wildlife habitat zone within the development site.

BIODIVERSITY

There are opportunities for species including reptiles, bats, great crest news and breeding birds to be present within the site; and
Hedgerows, trees and grassland should be retained where possible, and where not possible should be mitigated through new hedgerow/native tree planting.

TRANSPORT AND ACCESS

The existing access road into the site from Broughton Road, may need to be widened to accommodate development vehicles and agricultural vehicles, which would continue to use the site access to reach the farm.
To accommodate pedestrian movements a 2m wide footway will be required from the site access, along the frontage on the western side of Broughton Road; and
A new access will be required to serve the existing car boot sale and currently has two accesses, one of which routes through the site.

FLOOD RISK AND DRAINAGE

Space for a detention basin should be incorporated into the masterplan to provide surface water attenuation;
A foul water pump station will be required; and
Further drainage testing and design work is required to develop an appropriate drainage scheme.

HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGY

The site does not contain any designated heritage assets, such as listed buildings;
There would be no harm to the significance of any designated heritage assets beyond the boundary of the site through changes to their setting; and
The site contains no previously recorded non-designated archaeology and is considered to have no more than a low potential to contain significant remains from any period.