New homes plan approved after garden criticism

Plans for a new housing development which was criticised for its gardens being "too small" has been given the go-ahead.

A total of 50 homes were proposed for land south of Main Street in Stanton under Bardon, near Coalville, Leicestershire, in September.

Councillors originally postponed making a decision on the plans in February after one councillor dubbed the layout "poor" and said the homes felt "crammed into too poor of a space".

But the project will now start in the spring after being approved by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council's planning committee.

In February, 24 of the proposed homes were said to not match the council's guidance for minimum garden size, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

A report by planning officers revealed larger gardens had been achieved by "a slight amendment to the highway alignment, by adjustments to the boundaries of the gardens and by reducing the amount of open space to the south and western boundaries of the site".

The developer will pay a £600,000 package towards local facilities and services to offset the impact of new residents to the area, the LDRS added.

The money will go to nearby primary and secondary schools, Markfield Medical Centre and sports provision at Stanton Under Bardon Recreation Ground, as well as to waste management, libraries, and local travel.

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