Controversial North Kilworth housing plans rejected

Controversial plans to build 49 new homes on the edge of North Kilworth have been rejected by Harborough District councillors.

The outline application, for land south of Station Road, was turned down at a meeting of the council’s Planning Committee last night after members concluded the development would have an unacceptable impact on the village’s rural setting.

Over 500 people signed a petition and more than 30 residents lodged individual objections to the proposal ahead of the meeting, raising concerns about the loss of countryside, the visual impact of the development and the effect it would have on the character of the village.

The proposed site for the new homes (Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)

Although Harborough District Council cannot currently demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, councillors agreed that the harm caused by the scheme outweighed the benefits of delivering new homes.

Planning officers said the development would introduce substantial built form and associated infrastructure into an open countryside location, fundamentally changing the character of the site.

In refusing the application, councillors concluded the proposal would harm the landscape setting of North Kilworth and conflict with local planning policies designed to protect the character and appearance of rural villages.

The decision means planning permission has been refused for the scheme, although the applicant has the right to appeal.