FIELD HEAD HOUSING PROPOSALS

Field Head housing proposal opposed by local residents

ALTHOUGH Parish boundaries result in Field Head falling within Groby Parish Council for administrative purposes, for the infrastructure which affects day to day life it is essentially part of Markfield.

The nearest schools, medical facilities, shops, and employment are all in Markfield. Any development in Field Head inevitably has consequences for the village, but residents of this development will never contribute to the Markfield community because they will pay local taxes to Charnwood and Newtown Linford Councils. They will also have no democratic say on how the community operates or how resources are allocated.

The news that Davidsons Builders are consulting on the provision of between 100 and 150 new homes on a land locked wedge of land between Leicester Road and Markfield Lane, near the Fieldhead Hotel, has been met with dismay from Field Head and Markfield residents already alarmed by the attractiveness of the area to speculative development.

Davidsons Homes has put together proposals for the land, and would like to build on their 15.9 acre site. Harvey Singh, 45, who lives off Leicester Road in Field Head told the Leicester Mercury that the company has bought two properties, presumably to connect the development to local roads. The access location suggested is on a bend in Markfield Lane, where the limit is 40mph but the traffic often goes much faster.

“It’s going to be dangerous for traffic turning out on Leicester Road” he said. “Most people will be turning to go onto the A50 and that roundabout is already very busy at times and dangerous because of the speed of traffic crossing the roundabout from the M1 direction towards Leicester. There will be more queues and more accidents.” Mr Singh added that although a 13ft-wide lane joining the site with Leicester Road had been suggested, this would be a pedestrian route for children walking to school, and would be dangerous as it is a rightof-way for vehicles.

The group formed to oppose the proposal also intends to draw attention to the impact on wildlife. “There has been work already carried out to the site,” explained local resident Linda Allen. “Mature trees have been removed, and a hedgerow has been flailed to virtually nothing. This time last year and in previous years it has been home to an array of birds and wildlife.”

The challenge the residents face is not to be underestimated, and they are appealing for support from the wider community. The site does not have planning permission, but it is reported that the land is earmarked as being suitable for a residential development of up to 150 homes. The Charnwood Borough Council view is said to be that the site is in a suitable location in terms of its access to Markfield, a sustainable location in the Hinckley and Bosworth Core Strategy.

But it is this proximity to Markfield which gives weight to the argument that any development of the site should be considered in the context of the overall vision for the village. Matthew Lay, Borough Councillor for Markfield, has written a comprehensive letter to the agents for the developer, explaining that Markfield has taken steps to provide for its housing requirements, and has a Neighbourhood Plan which has allocated land to the south of the village. This is a significant allocation that is underway and will lead to 284 houses being built over the next 10 years, providing 112 affordable housing units. The Neighbourhood Plan, Cllr Lay explained, ensures that the settlement of Markfield benefits from enhanced protection in national planning policy.

This enhanced protection includes a variation of the requirement for a Planning Authority to maintain a 5 year supply of deliverable housing sites. For communities with a Neighbourhood Plan this is reduced to 3 years supply, which the Borough Council currently satisfies. The Plan also delivers its housing requirement up to 2039 in full.

We will have to see whether Charnwood Borough Council, who will be responsible for determining any planning application in due course, will take all these factors into account. Some residents may feel that the boundary issue provides the potential developer with a back door into Markfield. What is clear to most, however, is that neither developers nor planning authorities should be allowed to cherry pick the rules in boundary situations like this. Norman Griffiths

‘It comes to something when the state of the pound is such that we hope to find lots of foreign coins!’

Look, it’s simple - if caterpillars eat it, it’s compostable. If maggots & rats eat it, it’s waste. Everything else is recycled.

Did you spot all 10 differences?

1. Colour of Kite, 2. Boy on hill, 3. Boy stood in different direction, 4. Extra Hill, 5. Heel patches on boy’s shoes, 6. One eyebrow missing, 7. Different colour sleeves, 8. Bottom teeth on second boy, 9. Hand missing on kite of second boy, 10. One fewer bows on second boy’s kite

Christian Aid Week: 15th- 21st May 2022

PLEASE LOOK out for the red Christian Aid envelope which we will be delivering to every home in Groby during Christian Aid Week.

If you are able, please donate and help to change lives for the better.

For the first time in a generation, global poverty is rising. Covid, conflict and the climate crisis are pushing more of our global neighbours into a struggle for survival.

In Zimbabwe, drought makes every day a struggle for survival for mums like Jessica Mwedzi. Jessica is hungry. Hungry for a good meal. Hungry to earn a decent living. Hungry to provide a more hopeful future for her family.

‘My children crave a good meal, but I can’t provide.’ Jessica says. ‘It pains me to send them to bed hungry.’

Money raised will provide seeds to grow drought-resistant crops. Set up water taps on farms and train people to grow food in the harsh climate. Turning dry, dusty land into gardens of hope.

Envelopes can be returned to many drop off points in the village including Groby Library, Laundon Way Co-op, Classic Cuts Hairdressers and Chaplin’s butchers. The Stamford Arms will also have collecting tins on the bar.

For those who prefer to give online donations can also be made via our Churches Together in Groby Justgiving page. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Churches-Together-In-GrobyChristian-Aid-Week-2022 use the following QR code for quick access to the page.

Last year, thanks to your generosity, Groby raised over £5,000 during Christian Aid Week to help some of the world’s poorest people. Please help this year if you can. Thank you and God Bless. Mary Pringle and Chris Davies

Churches Together in Groby Christian Aid Week 15th- 21st May 2022

Please look out for the red Christian Aid envelope which we will be delivering to every home in Groby during Christian Aid Week.

If you are able, please donate and help to change lives for the better.

For the first time in a generation, global poverty is rising.

Covid, conflict and the climate crisis are pushing more of our global neighbours into a struggle for survival. In Zimbabwe, drought makes every day a struggle for survival for mums like Jessica Mwedzi. Jessica is hungry. Hungry for a good meal. Hungry to earn a decent living. Hungry to provide a more hopeful future for her family.

‘My children crave a good meal, but I can’t provide.’

Jessica says. ‘It pains me to send them to bed hungry.’

Money raised will provide seeds to grow drought-resistant crops. Set up water taps on farms and train people to grow food in the harsh climate. Turning dry, dusty land into gardens of hope.

Christian Aid Week 15th- 21st May 2022 Please look out for the red Christian Aid envelope which we will be delivering to every home in Groby during Christian Aid Week. If you are able, please donate and help to change lives for the better.

For the first time in a generation, global poverty is rising. Covid, conflict and the climate crisis are pushing more of our global neighbours into a struggle for survival. In Zimbabwe, drought makes every day a struggle for survival for mums like Jessica Mwedzi. Jessica is hungry. Hungry for a good Envelopes can be meal. Hungry toreturned to many drop off pointsearn in the a decent living. Hungry tovillage including Groby Library, Laundon Way Co-op, Classic Cuts Hairdressers and Chaplin’s butchers. The Stamford Arms will alsoprovide ahave collectingmore hopefultins on the bar. For those who prefer to future for her family.give online donations can also be made via our Churches Together in Groby Justgiving page. ‘My children crave a good meal, but I can’t provide.https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Churches-Together’ Jessica says. ‘It pains me to send themIn-Groby-Christian-Aid-Week-2022 to bed hungry.’ use the following QR code for quick access to the page. Money raised will provide seeds to grow drought-resistant crops. Set up water taps on farms and train people to grow food in the harsh climate. Turning dry, dusty land into gardens of hope. Last year, thanks to your generosity, Groby raised over £5,000 during Christian Aid Week to help some of the world’s poorest people. Please help this year if you can. Thank you and God Bless. Mary Pringle Chris Davies Churches Together in Groby

Packed lunches are back in style

WITH FOOD prices soaring, who needs a bought sandwich or salad?

They can cost nearly £8 a day from LEON or Pret or other food outlets. Instead, it seems we are investing in plastic food containers (John Lewis reports sales are up 64 per cent on last year) and taking our own lunches to work. As one cookery blogger explains, “You can’t reduce your council tax, but you can make little savings on everyday meals, which add up to a significant difference.” “It’s ‘cool’ these days to take a packed lunch to the office,” says Suzanne Mulholland, author of The Batch Lady: Shop Once. Cook Once. Eat Well All Week. “Being organised and prepared is seen as a good thing.” As for coffee, consider this: buying a £3 cappuccino every day adds up to £1,095 a year. Far cheaper to fill a flask at home.

Big Moments of summer fun!

Join us at:

Session dates:

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Contact:

ANSTEY & GLENFIELD CC - Gynsill Lane. Saturday 21st May 2022 for 8 weeks 10.30am - 11.30am Amanda Wilkes - 07859 001031