Objection to 109 dwellings on behalf of Persimmon Homes on land off Thurlaston Lane Earl Shilton

We, the undersigned, object strongly to the Residential Development for 109 dwellings made by Persimmon homes on the land adjacent to King Richards Hill and bounded by Thurlaston Lane and Clickers Way.

Link to public consultation:-

https://boyer.egnyte.com/dl/2VYQz7M2Z7/

Specific objections are as follows:

109 Homes……………

• How many cars and vehicle movements could this new development add to the local road network on a daily basis? We assume that there could be as many as 218 cars and this would represent more vehicle movements than the area’s roads can assimilate. It will also present local road safety issues…………
• The access is planned for Thurlaston Lane. With no direct access to Clickers Way, where will the approach roads/rat-runs/shortcuts be? Probably via Thurlaston Lane, Chapel Street, Almeys Lane and Church Street - and all are problematic at best.
• Church Street leading to Thurlaston Lane is very narrow, with parked cars, the pavements are also very narrow or non-existent. Therefore, the expected significant additional vehicle movements, especially at rush hours, would certainly constitute a pedestrian safety issue. (Plus, construction traffic would struggle to pass down church street at busy times.)
• Church Street is narrow at the A47 end, with additional narrowing provided by parked residents' cars. The right of way belongs to traffic coming from Chapel Street. So making progress, if you wish to go towards Chapel Street, is slow. It invariably requires ‘slalom’ movement in and out of the line of parked cars. New residents’ traffic coming from or going to Leicester will naturally take the shortest route which includes Church Street.
• Do we have enough school places to cope with the additional children? If half the homes have 2 children that makes 109. Where will they be educated? As far as we know there is not the capacity to take that number of primary school children at St. Peters, Weavers or Townlands School.
• No pedestrian access other that the main access off Thurlaston Road. Will this lead to trespass as people will naturally want to shortcut through King Richards Hill? All the land bordering the development are residents front or back gardens.
• How will the existing medical facilities cope? At present it takes just over a week to get an appointment to see a nurse at Heath Lane and if you phone the surgery first thing, by the time you get through, all surgeries have been booked up!
• Shopping and other facilities in the Town are not nearby as the application asserts, and without a major image revamp of the Town centre, it is difficult to see how all these new homes will help Earl Shilton (given also that there are few employment opportunities here).
• Will the current financial climate mean that the houses are difficult to sell? We surely don't need major residential developments like this during these difficult times, as the last thing we want is yet more unsold/empty properties in Earl Shilton. The recent more up-market residential developments in the Town have not fully sold, and there are obvious difficulties with the affordable housing project around the junction of Almeys Lane and High Street where empty flats and even the boarding up of windows has been seen!
• The land was due to be part of the 'Sustainable Urban Extension', as designated and described in the Local Development Framework. As such it would have had the benefit of bespoke facilities being built at the outset to accommodate the new residents’ needs. Without these facilities it is arguable whether this development is 'sustainable'. The application represents a piecemeal approach to development which should not be allowed.
• This is still 'green belt' land - whether the Council have moved the town boundary or not - and as such should not be built upon.

Kevin Morgan    Contact the author of the petition