Land North of Top Street

Land North of Top Street

Appleby Magna

Family-owned Cameron Homes seek your views on proposals for residential development on land north of Top Street, south of Church Street and west of Didcott Way.

The site is currently agricultural land extending to approximately 2.27 hectares.

The site is located on the southern edge of the village of Appleby Magna. Existing properties are located to the north and east, including two storey properties across Didcott Way and Wren Close. Top Street lies to the south of the site and open countryside is located to the west of the site.

There are a number of constraints present as follows:

• Hedgerow and hedgerow trees are located along the site’s boundaries
• The amenity of existing residents adjacent to the site along Didcott Way and Wren Close
• Appleby Magna Conservation Area located to the north/ north-east of the site, containing designated
  heritage assets including Grade II* listed Church of St Michael and Moat House Grade II* listed building and associated scheduled monument.
• The Grade I listed The Sir John Moor Church of England School is located to the south-west of the site
• Surface water flooding risks limited to the northern extent of the site.

There are a number of opportunities present as follows:

• Unique opportunity to assist in reducing the number and severity of flood events
• Existing hedgerows can be retained and strengthened
• Delivery of new publicly accessible open space on the site
• Opportunity to enhance existing biodiversity through the improvement and expansion of habitats.

Government Policy
The Government requires local planning authorities to have an up-to-date local plan to shape how land use and places will change and develop in the future. The planning system is intended to be genuinely plan-led. Local plans are required to provide a positive vision for the future of each area; a framework for addressing housing needs and other economic, social and environmental priorities; and a platform for local people to shape their surroundings. Local plans must support the delivery of enough homes to meet housing needs. Housing needs for a particular local authority area are established through a standard formula set by the Government.

North West Leicestershire Planning Policy
The North West Leicestershire Local Plan was adopted in November 2017 and provides a strategy from 2011 to 2031. The Council undertook a partial review of the Local Plan in February 2018. Subsequent to this partial review the amended Local Plan took effect from March 2021.

Policy S2 (Settlement Hierarchy) identifies Appleby Magna as a sustainable village, defined as having a limited range of services and facilities where a limited amount of growth will take place within the defined ‘Limits to Development’. The site is outside the ‘Limits to Development’.

The policies in the adopted Local Plan in respect of the supply of homes are now considered out of date as the Council cannot currently demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing land. In this scenario, national policy determines that policies relating to the delivery of homes in the Local Plan carry reduced weight. Land on the edge of non-Green Belt towns and villages, such as this site, are particularly susceptible to speculative development as any decisions on planning proposals for housing will now be tipped in the favour of development.

Flood Attenuation & Drainage
The site presents a unique opportunity to assist in reducing the number and severity of flood events currently experienced within Appleby Magna. These flood events take place regularly, including within the last 12 months.

Through discussions with Leicestershire County Council and the Trent River Trust a flood attenuation scheme has been designed that diverts the Meadow Brook into a new floodplain compensation area, contained using a bund and flow control structure. This flood compensation area comprises a large flood water storage basin that incorporates a re-naturalised meandering Meadow Brook course within the north of the site (see Figure 1). New Wetland habitat is proposed to be incorporated within this flood compensation area.

Modelling of the flood compensation scheme demonstrates a significant reduction in flood depths downstream between the site and Mawby’s Lane and a moderate reduction elsewhere within the village (see Figure 2).

Cameron Homes has recently installed a similar and successful flood compensation scheme in Breedon on the Hill which has been effective in reducing the impacts of flood events.

Any application would be supported by a Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy. The development would utilise Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to manage surface water drainage and all built development would be located outside of the existing floodplain and flood compensation area.

Homes
The proposal includes the construction of 50 new homes ranging in size to meet the needs of first-time buyers, couples and families, recognising the need for 2 and 3 bedroom properties within the District.

The housing mix would include a range of high quality detached, semi-detached and terraced homes, including a number of bungalows suited to older people.

Affordable homes will be delivered to provide opportunities for people on lower incomes or for key workers to secure a home of their own in Appleby Magna.

We know that sustainability is hugely important to local people, and we will work to ensure that the new homes we deliver meet the very latest standards in sustainability. This will see homes include measures such as EV charging infrastructure, PV cells (solar panels) and very high levels of insulation and energy efficiency to reduce the carbon footprint of the development and provide cost efficiencies for all residents.

CGI of the proposed scheme

Access
Vehicular access into the site will be via a new T-junction formed off Top Street. Pedestrian connectivity is provided via a circulatory footpath network that connects with the existing footway to the north of Top Street.

Open Space
New public open space will centre around the meandering landscaped area following Meadow Brook. This area will not only provide flood compensation but also areas of amenity open space, including equipped children’s play and new habitats to provide increased biodiversity value.

An 8m landscaped buffer is proposed along the eastern boundary, which will provide a green and attractive pedestrian connection to Top Street.

The area of open space will include soft landscaping and planting. Natural surveillance will be provided by new homes fronting proposed green spaces.

Cameron Homes is conscious of the ever-increasing importance of ensuring that development is sustainable, protecting and enhancing natural habitats and green infrastructure as much as possible whilst delivering much-needed homes for people and families. The planning proposals will be informed by ecological surveys and will seek to demonstrate Biodiversity Net Gain. There are opportunities for new tree and hedgerow planting and habitat creation which would boost the biodiversity of the site.

Local Infrastructure
On site provision and/or financial contributions will be provided towards local infrastructure to mitigate any impact of the development. These contributions will be secured through a legal agreement. Any on site infrastructure or off-site financial contributions will be finalised through a future planning application following discussion with North West Leicestershire District Council and other infrastructure providers including Leicestershire County Council Education and the Integrated Care Board (health).

The design of the proposed layout has been informed by a number of constraints and opportunities including the presence of nearby heritage assets, any longer-distance views of the site and the need to protect the amenity of residents, including existing neighbours to Didcott Way and Wren Close.

The key design principles are as follows:

Cameron Homes is committed to the highest quality of design and detailing in all of its developments. It is acknowledged that good quality architectural and public realm detailing is intrinsic to delivering a quality development.

In particular, the elevation design and architectural detailing will pay particular attention to the following:

The proposal aims to strike a balance between designing homes in response to local architecture and character and also creating an attractive, modern development in its own right with a clear structure and identity. Materials are of a palette of red brick and render with grey and brown roof tiles.

Site Layout

If you have any comments or questions on any part of the development proposal, you can visit our drop in session at Appleby Magna Church of St Michael and All Angels Hall between 4pm and 7pm on 5th June or comments can be left via the feedback form below. Alternatively you can email your comments to info@evolvepad.co.uk or send your comments by post to EVOLVE.

We will consider all the feedback and suggestions as part of this consultation and use them to help shape the proposals for this site. A full application will then be submitted to North West Leicestershire District Council in summer 2025. North West Leicestershire District Council will undertake a further consultation once an application is submitted.

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