2020
2020 April
The Station Field Development site identified in the Neighbourhood Plan.
As most of you will be aware the community of Market Bosworth identified an area of land behind the industrial estate as the preferred option for a mixed use development for housing and expansion of employment opportunities for the Neighbourhood Plan. More recently the landowners, the Parish Council, Neighbourhood Forum and Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council came together to consider progressing the scheme.
The development of a Master Plan brief was commissioned to undertake a comprehensive review of the work previously carried out, the current planning requirements and to develop firm proposals for meeting local pan policies including the Neighbourhood Plan. The proposals will ensure any prospective developer will have clear parameters to develop the site in accordance with locally defined requirements. An independent planning consultancy was engaged to carry out this work and has recently completed the first draft proposals and recommendations
Housing Needs Survey
Some of you will no doubt recall the last survey in 2014. This survey is carried out independently by the East Midlands Housing Group to enable local authorities to help ensure housing is appropriate to local needs. It is important to complete the survey when it is delivered so you can identify your specific short and medium needs. This is particularly important if you have young adults living in your household who want to stay in Market Bosworth and want to move into their own affordable property in the town. Maybe you are looking to downsize to a smaller property, perhaps you would like to move into a bungalow. The results of the survey can be used to inform the house builders of impending developments of local needs
The Neighbourhood Plan revisions
The Parish Council agreed that the Neighbourhood Plan should be reviewed and, if necessary, modified in line with best practice. The review concluded that, though there were a number of minor changes which could be usefully made, the only thing which needed to be brought up to date was the housing requirement.
The minimum housing requirement for Market Bosworth, derived from the Hinckley and Bosworth Core Strategy 2006-2026, had effectively been invalidated because Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) was unable to demonstrate an adequate supply of deliverable housing for the next five years. Market Bosworth Parish Council was advised by HBBC that the Neighbourhood Plan should include an up-to-date housing requirement if it is to remain robust and a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.
Market Bosworth Parish Council commissioned AECOM to produce an up to date Housing Needs Figure (HNF) for Market Bosworth, based on current national guidelines. This recommended an overall HNF of 108 dwellings, which is extremely close to the figure of 100 in the existing Plan. There are also a number of approved housing development plans which will count against this figure if they proceed, so this figure is likely to be higher than is strictly necessary but will be used ‘as is’.
Consequently, Market Bosworth Parish Council proposes to include an addendum to the Neighbourhood Plan identifying this minor change.
Subject to acceptance by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council this will ensure that The Plan is completely up to date and fully conformant to national and local policies.
The Market Bosworth Town Centre Redevelopment Project
The Parish Council is pleased to announce it has secured significant funding through the Hinckley and Bosworth DCF scheme. This funding has enabled us to engage contractors for Phase 2 of the work.
This phase will provide us with much greater certainty of the condition of the substructure of the Market Place and the roads, together with a detailed analysis of precise locations of all the utilities’ pipes, cables and other hidden services. This is essential work to help to determine the precise costs of the final implementation. This element of the work will be carried out using Ground RADAR survey and Geotechnical survey techniques.
Some examples of the works in Phase 2 include:
A detailed parking strategy including
- Review parking bay control i.e. 1-2 hour wait non-return 1 hour or 2 hours
- Review parking permits
- Review and any necessary amendments to restrictions due to proposed concept changes to road layout
- Single & double yellow road marking review
Signing strategy including
- 20mph / 30mph signing – (speed review base line – any additional measures required) inc review for additional refuge at The Park / Rectory Lane & Park St – concept layout
- Due to new one-way new signing in the centre – direction / one-way signing
- Any Temporary signing e.g. for parking for echelon parking etc
- Review of cycle / walking / tourism / directional / diversion signing
- Review of existing and establish proposed prohibitions
- Parking signing – restrictions, loading / parking control
Traffic modelling including
- Undertaking traffic turning counts at the key 4/5 junctions
- Station Rd /Main St /Back Lane / Market Place
- Sutton Lane / Rectory Lane
- Shenton Lane / Market Place
- Main St / Park St
- Park St / The Park / Rectory Lane
- Establish new layout distribution / growth
- Establish junction geometry
Develop a Phasing Approach
- Breakdown the potential elements
- Establish influential factors
- Establish what needs to be done together and what can be done in isolation
- Establish what trade off and where the physical design can be split
- Produce best order of works
- Establish number of phases
The Ground RADAR, Geotechnical survey work and traffic analysis was originally scheduled to start towards Easter time. Some of this work has been done and the rest will be completed as soon as possible after the situation returns to normal.
2016
2016 September
The following Progress Report has been posted on the Parish Council website:
The Neighbourhood Plan identifies various aspirational projects for the parish: a town centre traffic scheme; construction of a safe footpath to the Water Park; preparation of a Design Brief for the proposed development site; adoption of a Local Heritage Asset List; a review of Tree Preservation Orders; a hedgerow review; creation of improved access to the countryside; and improved mobile phone and broadband reception.
The Parish Council has tirelessly petitioned Highways and the Borough Council for several years for a safer town centre traffic scheme and a safe footway to the Water Park. As a direct result of the petitioning and the adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan progress is at last being made. Highways recently held a public consultation on additional double yellow lines for Barton Road, Station Road and Sutton Lane to make the roads safer and enable traffic to flow more smoothly. It is hoped these will be painted soon. Highways have also confirmed progress is being made with regard to constructing a safe footway to the Water Park. More on this will follow in due course.
Meanwhile, the Design Brief has been prepared and is available to view; a draft Local Heritage Asset List has been submitted to the Borough Council for consideration; a Landscape Survey is currently being carried out – volunteers welcome!; and broadband has been extended to many more properties.
Further information on the Landscape Survey can be read here: Getting Involved
2016 August – Design Brief
Following acceptance of the Neighbourhood Plan, work has continued on preparation of a Design Brief for the land to the rear of Station Rd/Heath Rd – the area identified for future mixed use development. This Design Brief for Station Field (the working name for the land to the rear of Heath Rd/Station Rd) has now been completed and published.
The purpose of the Design Brief is to guide planners and developers through planning policy and best practice design principles in order to aid the development of proposals that comply with the policies and aspirations of the Market Bosworth Neighbourhood Plan. In this way the Design Brief aims to ensure that developers produce designs which reflect the concerns and aspirations of the local community.
The Brief brings together existing considerations and principles and moves forward by looking more closely at issues such as layout, landscaping, parking, footpaths, appearance, sustainability and workmanship.
The Design Brief has been reviewed and approved by Market Bosworth Parish Council and printed copies are available to view at Market Bosworth Parish Council Office and at Market Bosworth Library.
The Design Brief is also available to view and download here: MBNP Station Field Design Brief
2015
2015 September
The Referendum was held on Thursday 3rd September. 88% of those voting said Yes with 11% saying No.
In accordance with the regulations, Market Bosworth Neighbourhood Development Plan is ‘made’ and planning applications in the Neighbourhood Area must be considered against the Market Bosworth Neighbourhood Plan, as well as existing planning policy.
The full decision statement can be read here: Post_referendum_decision_statement_final
2015 July
The full council meeting at Hinckley And Bosworth Borough Council tonight (21st July) approved the Neighbourhood Plan to go to referendum. Full details on the referendum page.
2015 March
An initial application for houses North of Station Road was turned down in February 2014 for several reasons.
Members of the planning committee provided a number of reasons for its refusal. The developers have taken this outcome to appeal with an Inquiry scheduled for early September and submitted a new application, almost identical to the original, but with a proposal for 64 rather than 65 dwellings. This application is due to be heard at the Planning Meeting on August 19th 2014
The Forum has submitted the following letter outlining our concerns now we have reached such a significant point in the preparation of our Neighbourhood Plan. Our letter to the Planning Department can be viewed here NDP-response-to-Charles-Church-application-14-00674-FUL2
The revised application was refused by Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council on 5 March 2015.
2015 February
The Publicity stage consultation version is available now.
2014
This has been a busy year. The first few months the group was busy working with the community and stakeholders as well as external consultants to produce a worthwhile draft Plan ready for consultation.
The draft Plan was consulted on during June and July and statutory consultees as well as residents attended our open days to view the plan and provide feedback or provided feedback on line. August and early September were spent analysing the what turned out to be very positive and supportive feedback in terms of the general plan direction with some valuable feedback to give the final plan clarity. The final job was to address the feedback and amend the plan where required and complete all the associated documents. We are very grateful to Dharmista Patel (Consultancy) and Planning Aid consultant Bob Keith for the help and support at this stage. The final version of the plan was submitted in October and the Publicity stage consultation started on 24th November.
The Forum has been busy throughout August September and October on a number of fronts. These include
- analysing the results from the questionnaire
- generating the policies for the draft plan
- responding to the many applications to build in front of the golf course which the NDP Forum believe is premature given the consultation activities carried out with the community
- meeting with a number of stakeholder groups.
The questionnaire results clearly show that our community do NOT favour the site in front of the golf course as the preferred option for new development. In fact 64% identified the South side of Station Road as the preferred option which would allow opportunities for a mixed development of housing and employment opportunities.
Earlier in the year The Forum was busy engaging with residents and stakeholders in the community. In addition a full consultation through a questionnaire is ongoing and a submission made to defer consideration of the planning application to build houses on the North side of Station Road.
2013
2013 August 1st
Market Bosworth Neighbourhood Forum submit the following response to Hinckley and Bosworth Planning Officers regarding their concerns that the planning application on the South side of Station Rd (Golf course side) is premature. The following summary outlines our response:
“It is the considered opinion of the Market Bosworth Neighbourhood Forum, the group designated to producing a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), that the planning application by Charles Church to develop a site on the north side of Station Road in Market Bosworth is premature. The Market Bosworth Neighbourhood Forum is considering more than one site allocation and is in the process of engaging with the residents and stakeholders to assess preference. Consideration will be given to criteria such as the potential to provide housing, expansion of employment opportunities and community facilities without a detrimental impact on the character of the neighbourhood, whilst meeting the needs of a sustainable Key Rural Centre through to 2026. ”
The full submission can be viewed here NDP response to Charles Church application
All submissions in respect of this application need to be with Hinckley and Bosworth Planning Dept by 6th August. Individual can respond if they have objections on planning grounds or wish to support the the Market Bosworth Neighbourhood Forum and/or Parish Council responses.
Approximately 1000 questionnaires delivered to all households with additional copies being available from the Library and Parish Council Office or available to download here Mkt Bosworth – Questionnaire
April and June: Postcard drops delivered to residents summarising past and imminent events and activities.
25th June 2013
The next public engagement event to be held in St Peters Hall. Once again extremely well attended with a focus on specific topics identified at the previous two events. The imminent questionnaire to be distributed to every household was flagged up. Much interest was shown in maps showing green spaces, leisure and recreational facilities and potential site allocations for future developments.
14th March 2013
The Stakeholder event in which local businesses, interest groups, community activity groups and providers of key services were invited to attend a briefing on the ‘Bosworth Vision’. and undertake a an open discussion.
The meeting took the form of
A. Presentations providing the context and background to the project:
The Borough Council’s Role in the Neighbourhood Development Planning Process – HBBC (Appendix 1)
Overview of Neighbourhood Development Planning, what a plan can and cannot do, along with an outline of the key steps to produce a plan.
The Journey So Far – Market Bosworth Neighbourhood Development Plan Forum Group (Appendix 1)
Background to the project, and outline of steps taken and work completed to date.
The Consultation Process and Aims of Stakeholder Meeting – RCC (Appendix 1)
Overview of the wider consultation programme and key issues to date. Introduction to the Issues and Opportunities workshop task.
July 18th 2013
B. Group based issues and opportunities workshop session.
Feedback from this event is summarised in the following report Stakeholder Meeting Report 14-3-13
25th January 2013
The first public engagement event. This was extremely well attended despite the adverse weather conditions. 94 people completed a form sharing their details a several others attended but did not leave any details. The event provided an opportunity to launch the concept of ‘Bosworth Vision’ and engage residents with their concerns about the town at present and their aspiration for the future of the town. The details of the outcomes from this event are summarised in the following report. Consultation_Jan2013_analysis