January 2025 - Our Month in Review

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Ben and Mike wish you a Happy New Year and hope you all had a peaceful and Merry Christmas.

This year will be busy and prove to be momentous. The Labour government are already pushing through with their new policies, some in their manifesto and some not!

• We did not expect to see the removal of pensioners Winter Fuel Allowance for over 10 million pensioners. Some do not need the allowance, but it will leave many in a position of ‘eat or heat’. If you need support, then contact https://www.blaby.gov.uk/leisure-health-and-community/community/community-hub/ 
   
• The Leader of Blaby District Council, Councillor Terry Richardson, has issued a statement following the publication of the English Devolution White Paper, which was received just a few days before the Christmas break. 

Councillor Richardson said: “While it will take time to fully assess the implications of the English Devolution White Paper, the district and borough councils in Leicestershire have long since welcomed the opportunity for devolution of powers and funding from central government to the regions and recognise this is the best way to secure investment and stimulate economic growth within our communities.

“I think the establishment of a Combined Authority for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland would represent a pragmatic and positive first step towards joining the existing East Midlands County Combined Authority either now or in the future.

“While I acknowledge that the Government has signaled its intention to create simpler local government structures, the White Paper does not properly recognise the vital role district councils have played in delivering services to their communities and businesses. It is therefore important that we help to shape any work to consider the future size and shape of local government and that any new arrangements remain sufficiently local and connected to their local areas. I welcome the opportunity to explore this further with partners, stakeholders and communities, and want to ensure that any new model for our region is locally led and widely supported.

 I am keen to explore these important issues with local government partners over the coming weeks, and throughout will ensure that the views and needs of our communities are at the heart of everything we do.”

• The new NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) has now been published… we are just working our way through it and the implications for Blaby District – if you are interested here is the link.  There is a definitive push towards building more housing, our numbers are slightly lower than in the NPPF consultation but still significantly higher than our previous allocation.  The new figures are effective from now, so we are just trying to understand what this means for our housing land supply.  We will provide more detail to you all shortly.
   
• Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange – Consultation date change. We have recently been contacted by the Department for Transport in relation to this matter.  Due to the delay in the documents submitted by Tritax Symmetry on 10 December 2024, not being available on the PINS website until 20 December 2024, the deadline for comment for the Council and Interested Parties has now been extended until 7 February 2025. 

Councillor Activities   

During December, your councillors have attended many training events and/or meetings, including social functions:

• Audit Chair’s Forum Meeting – 3rd
• Training – Audit, the new standards – 4th
• Sharnford Evergreen Hall Party – 4th 
• Blaby Carol Concert – 5th
• Sapcote Parish Council – 5th
• Sharnford Bacon Buttie Morning – 7th
• Blaby Parishes Group Meeting – 11th
• Melton Mowbray Carol Service – 12th
• Sharnford Parish Council – 19th
• Sharnford Sick & Dividend Fund Hamper Distribution – 21st

During January, your councillors will be attending meetings and training events. Because of the government proposals, the number of activities could increase:

• Blaby Cabinet Meeting – 2nd
• Devolution White Paper Briefing – 8th
• Sapcote Parish Council – 9th
• Scrutiny – Draft Budget – 15th
• Training – Personal safety for councillors – 16th
• Sharnford Parish Council – 16th
• Residential training – Audit – 18th & 19th
• National Highways A5 improvements – 20th
• Scrutiny – Draft Budget – 22nd
• Sharnford Fete Committee – 22nd 
• Planning Committee – 23rd
• Sharnford Bacon Buttie – 25th
• District Council Meeting – 28th
• Scrutiny – Draft Budget – 29th

HNRFI Update – Decision Phase 

The Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange will remain in our monthly reports until the final decision is made by the Secretary of State.  

HNRFI decision delayed

As you will be aware, the Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange (HNRFI) decision has been delayed to 10 March 2025 by the Secretary of State for Transport. The Secretary of State published two documents; a Minded to Refuse Letter (explaining why the application may be refused) and a Recommendation Report (outlining advice from the Planning Inspectorate to the Secretary of State) and gave the developers Tritax Symmetry, until 10 December 2024 to submit further information. 

The developer submitted a suite of documents (18 in total) on the 10 December 2024 to the Secretary of State. These documents include the following:

•           Modelling notes on the M1 J21, M69, J1 and M69 J2, as well as a Road Safety Audit,

•           Sapcote Highways proposals to prevent HGVs over-running kerbs & various supporting documents

•           Narborough Crossing Report

•           Aston Firs revised acoustic attenuation proposals and revisions to junction layout

•           Revised Sustainable Transport Strategy

•           Revised HGV Routeing Strategy

Documents are to be published on the PINS website as before during the examination process, and the Council and Interested Parties have until 7 February 2025 to comment on these submissions. 

Blaby will be responding to all documents, with Leicestershire County Council Highways taking a lead on the modelling and highway items. Blaby District Council have employed the same external consultants to examine the documents, as during the examination process. Consultants include MEC for noise and air quality, LUC for landscape and design, BDB Pitmans (legal) for an overarching input. These consultants’ comments will be fed into Blaby District Councils formal response to all documents submitted. 

Christmas Carol Concert

Thank you to everyone who attended the Chairman's Carol Concert on Thursday, December 5, 2024. The event had a wonderful turnout and was a resounding success.

The evening featured enchanting performances by the Grey Stoke Primary School Choir, who filled the venue with their beautiful carols, while the Enderby Youth Band provided an impressive musical backdrop.

 In a surprising twist, the Grinch {Cllr Nick Chapman) made an appearance, but contrary to his notorious reputation, there was no "Mean Mr Grinch" to dampen the festivities. Instead, his presence added a playful element to the evening. Thanks to the generosity of all who attended, the concert successfully raised over £600 for the Chairman's charity - Air Ambulance.

New Local Plan

We continue to work on our Local Plan which will guide growth across the District up to 2041, shaping where housing, employment and retail sites should be developed and where development should be restricted. 

Regulation 19 consultation Update

We were aiming to begin our Regulation 19 consultation in September 24, however, due to the new Government’s proposals to revise the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the potential subsequent impact of the imposition of mandatory housing targets; the Council now intends to publish the Regulation 19 Local Plan in July 2025. A Regulation 19 Local Plan is the version of the Local Plan which the Council intend to submit to the Secretary of State to be examined by an independent inspector.

For the latest info on our new local plan, please see Blaby District Council’s dedicated webpage: https://www.blaby.gov.uk/planning-and-building/local-plan/new-local-plan/

Major Blaby District Planning Applications 

24/0834/OUT – Leicester Road, Sharnford

Outline planning application for a.) provision of up to 134 dwellings constituting up to 43 Affordable Housing units, up to 75 Open Market Housing units and up to 16 serviced plots for self-build and custom housebuilding, b.) hedge and tree removal with (re)planting where relevant, c.) provision of a mobility hub and d.) with all matters reserved except access.

Application to be determined by Planning Committee at future meeting

24/0874/FUL - The Works Aston Lane Sharnford Leicestershire 

Demolition of existing pre-fab offices and siting of 36 self-storage containers with erection of new boundary fencing and landscape bund

Application to be determined by Planning Committee at future meeting

24/0957/FUL – Land off Butler Close, Sharnford

Erection of 19 dwellings with associated access.

Application to be determined by Planning Committee at future meeting

24/0976/OUT – 2 Spring Gardens, Sapcote

Outline application for 9 new dwellings

Application to be determined by Planning Officer under delegated powers
 

Local Minor Planning Applications

24/1067/HH - 29 Wentworth Avenue Elmesthorpe

Two storey extension

24/1057/HH – Wytchwood, Aston Lane, Aston Flamville

Two storey side and rear extensions to existing bungalow, along with new dormers and porch to front elevation.

24/0999/OUT – Land East of 4 Station Road, Elmesthorpe

Outline application for the erection of a C3 self-build dwelling.

24/0975/FUL – Meadowbarn Cottage Farm, Fosse Way, Sharnford

Construction of a barn for livestock & equipment storage.

Local Planning Enforcement

E24/0286/BOC – Mill Bank House, Leicester Road, Sapcote

Breach of conditions relating to applications 23/0699/FUL and 24/0347/VAR
 

PDF version of this newsletter can be downloaded from the link below.