'Drop 10,000 homes scheme from local plan'

COUNCIL SAYS EARLY PROPOSAL NOT APPLICATION

- By JULIA BREENS

VILLAGERS are calling for plans to build 10,000 homes in three connected villages to be removed from a council’s local plan.

Nurton Developments has put forward the proposal for more than 1,700 acres near Norton-juxta-Twycross, close to Twycross Zoo.

Norton Heath would have schools, sports and leisure facilities and shops.

The site is included in Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council's consultation for early draft proposals for its local plan.

But Headley Benn, of Norton Heath Development Opposition Group, said the proposals should be withdrawn due to “the impact on people’s mental health”.

He said his fellow villagers are “concerned because it would completely obliterate our village”.

A council-run consultation about the draft local plan, held at Twycross village hall, was “poorly prepared”, and that people “didn’t get answers”, he said.

Mr Benn said residents were told during the meeting that “all the land was available”.

“A number of landowners stepped forward and said that wasn’t the case,” he said.