Potential New Housing Sites Revealed

Details have been revealed of potential sites for thousands of new homes across Harborough.

The areas have been put forward by landowners as part of the preparation of a new Local Plan, which will map out where new homes and business areas will be built across Harborough between now and 2041.

However, Harborough District Council is stressing just because a site appears on the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA), it does not mean it will automatically be taken forward and allocated for development.

Areas identified include land to the north of Market Harborough and either side of the A6 bypass, around Kibworth and near Great Glen, where a new so-called ‘new town’ of up to 3,000 new homes could be created.

Potential development sites have been revealed

The SHELAA is a high-level assessment used by Local Planning Authorities as a starting point to decide whether sites could be developed for housing, business or other uses in a Local Plan.

Harborough District Council say the maps have been shared before being officially published.

A spokesperson for Harborough District Council said: “The council has not officially published its updated Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA).

“The council is required to follow particular steps with regards to the publication of its draft local plan and unfortunately a link to the SHELAA has been put into the public domain outside of the proper channels, meaning that the council has not been able to provide context to the document.

“We will be reviewing how this confidential information was put into the public domain and will take any necessary steps to ensure that our procedures and requirements are complied with.

“The updated SHELAA, which is a high-level strategic assessment which includes all sites that have been put forward by landowners for possible development, will be published alongside the draft local plan and other technical documents on the council’s website on 12 February 2025 ahead of a Cabinet meeting on 20 February 2025.”