A 20-year master plan for building homes and creating jobs has been approved for North West Leicestershire and includes a target of building 481 houses a year.

The Local Plan acts as a blueprint for development. It includes a variety of targets for building homes and roads, employment use, areas to be kept as unspoilt 'green' land and heritage assets.

It covers the period until 2031. The plan was due to be completed in 2016 but following an appeal the housing proposals were seen to fall short of demand.

The plan will act as a guide when it comes to homes, roads, jobs and facilities in the district, while protecting green land and heritage assets, and enhancing town centres.

At a meeting on Tuesday, November 28, councillors approved targets to build 481 houses per year – 9,620 in total – along with earmarking 163 acres of employment land.

This had been lowered from the initial 520 houses per year – 10,400 homes in total.

300,000 houses could be built a year by 'the mid 2020s'
300,000 houses could be built a year by 'the mid 2020s'

Changes to the number of homes scheduled to be built each year were made following further talks with councils in the region. This included Leicester City Council and Oadby and Wigston Borough Council.

The district council expressed concern that there was not enough co-operation between Leicester and the Leicestershire authorities to approve this plan and agree on the scale of the need for more housing.

It stated in its report ahead of Tuesday’s meeting that OWBC had stated it would be unlikely to meet the house-building needs of 161 by 2031.

NWLDC said the housing shortfall "is not one which this council can address on its own."

District councillors voted to approve the initial draft Local Plan in October 2016 to get the ball rolling and meet the national government’s deadline of early 2017.

The National Planning Policy Framework states that Local Plans should be drawn up preferably with a 15-year timespan.

The submitted plan has a timeframe and related evidence base of 20 years from 2011-31.

This leaves only 14 years from the projected adoption date of the plan, later in 2017.

However, the district council stated: "It would be impractical, and against the imperative for local plans to be put in place, to delay the plan in order to re-establish its evidence base over an extended timescale."

It also stated that the plan would be reviewed several times over the next 14 years to make sure that targets are on track and to make any necessary alterations.

The draft Local Plan was examined by planning government inspector Brian Sims during a series of public hearings in January and March 2017.

The housing target has been reduced from the initial proposal of 520 a year after consultation with other councils in the county
The housing target has been reduced from the initial proposal of 520 a year after consultation with other councils in the county

Councillor Trevor Pendleton, portfolio holder for regeneration and planning at North West Leicestershire, said that devising the plan had been "meticulous" and required the work of councillors from all parties along with council officers and consultants.

"The adoption of the Local Plan is incredibly significant for North West Leicestershire," said Cllr Pendleton.

"It gives us more control over how the district develops and ensures we have the evidence to protect land and places when we need to.

"We have meticulously pulled together all the important policies contained in our Local Plan, using evidence to show where the new homes and jobs that we know we need should be directed.

"We have committed to review the plan in 2018, to make sure it takes into account the most recent evidence and work on the Strategic Growth Plan for Leicester and Leicestershire.

"This commitment means our Local Plan will remain relevant, up to date and supported by evidence.

"It’s been a long process, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the officers at the council, our specialist consultants and councillors from all parties who have worked hard to get the Local Plan to adoption stage."

Housing is set to be focused on the "Coalville Urban Area" on the basis that its services and facilities can take the pressure more than most.

The area includes Coalville, Donington-le-Heath, Greenhill, Hugglescote, Snibston, Thringstone and Whitwick as well as the Bardon employment area.

A spokesman for the district council said: "The largest amount of new development will be directed here, including retail development, to support the regeneration of Coalville Town Centre."

A "significant" amount of development will also be focused on Ashby and Castle Donington, but not to the same extent.

This will be followed by Ibstock, Kegworth and Measham, and then smaller villages and hamlets.