Bid to turn former tip into public space dropped

A bid to turn a former rubbish tip in Loughborough into a new park or public open space has been dropped.

Charnwood Borough Council says it planned to transform the former refuse site behind Loughborough recycling and household waste centre into a new public open space.

However, no progress has been made on the plan in the last 20 years and the council says it has been left with "no route" to complete the project due to lack of cash.

Officers have now asked the council's ruling cabinet group for permission to lease the site to a company nearby, which plans to install solar panels on the land to power its premises.

A report compiled for the cabinet says the land is currently not occupied or maintained in any way and is not accessible to the public.

It adds there is a locked gate, but it is often "breached" and "used for anti-social behaviour purposes, such as motorcycle riding and illegal camping".

The report says: "Local government now faces significant challenges, both in terms of funding and in terms of local government reorganisation, which may continue to prevent any meaningful redevelopment of the site."

Officers had considered installing solar panels on the site themselves in 2022, but realised they would not be able to connect the panels to the National Grid for another 10 years.

Instead the authority is now looking to lease the land to an unnamed company which plans to install its own solar panels to power its premises nearby.

The council's cabinet is being asked to confirm the land is surplus to requirements and approve the lease at its meeting on 6 June.

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.