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‘Overspill Housing’ Meeting Tonight

Written by HFM News on 3rd November 2023

A public meeting’s being held tonight to discuss controversial plans which could see new homes earmarked for Leicester City being built across the Harborough District instead.

MP Neil O’ Brien has helped to organise the meeting – and is encouraging anyone who’s concerned to gather in the Methodist Church Hall on Northampton Road at 6.30pm this evening.

He argues a planning rule called the ‘Duty to Cooperate’ no longer applies because it’s set to be abolished after the Government’s ‘Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill’ became law last week.

There is no requirement for any local authority to submit a new local plan before summer 2025 – by which time Mr O’Brien points out this rule won’t exist.

Neil O’Brien MP with the petition

He says: ” There is now no good reason whatsoever for us to take loads of Leicester’s overspill housing. With over 3,000 local residents now having signed the petition against this it is time for the council to stop trying to force us to accept all this extra housing from the City.

“It is true that the council gets a bit of money from developers when new houses are built. But on balance people in Harborough would rather not have so many houses, particularly when it is to meet the needs of Leicester rather than our own needs.

“There is still just enough time for the Council Leader will listen to residents and do a u-turn on this.”

However, Cllr Phill Knowles, the Leader of Harborough District Council, responds: “A decision on whether the council will sign the Statement of Common Ground has not yet been made. This decision will be for Full Council to decide on 6th November 2023. Until then we will continue to gather advice and evidence to help councillors make the right decision for the Harborough district.”

Meantime, the public meeting, due to be attended by three of our area’s MPs, will be in the Methodist Church Hall on Northampton Road in Market Harborough (pictured top courtesy of East Mercia Methodist Circuit) at 6.30pm this evening, Friday 3rd November 2023.