Thurnby and Bushby Society TABS

Environment & Planning

Environment

Environment Report - May 2024

TABS continues to work with the Parish Council to help update maintenance schedules for care of our grass verges, greens, footpaths, jitties, hedges and trees. It was discovered that working maps and schedules were in disarray partly because of the dwindling resources of our District and County authorities. Work continues on establishing an efficient system.

Also, TABS is supporting the Parish Council’s efforts to repair, clean and generally revamp the village seats.

TABS supports any planting that will improve the look of an area. The Society successfully organised further planting on Telford Way Green, thanks to the donation of shrubs by Coles Nursery and Parish Council grants.

Improving the chances for nature has to begin in our own parish.

Judith Lord

May 2024

Marsh Marigold by Manor Field Pond in early April

Purple Loosestrife, Great Willow Herb and Meadowsweet. Manor Field Pond July 2024

Flowers at Manor Field Pond

September 2020

Planning

Planning Report - May 2024

TABS monitors planning at both the strategic and local level and has responded where these would adversely affect the area.

The Harborough District New Local Plan is an uodate of the current Local Plan to extend its validity to 2041. The revision proceeds in several stages from broad strategy to specific detail. Public comment was invited on the ‘Issues & Options’ consultation. TABS responded in detail for options which would not give Thurnby & Bushby more than their share of new housing and to highlight the crucial importance of the Green Wedge policy to protect the land between the parish, Leicester, Scraptoft and Stoughton.

Neighbourhood Plans allow local communities to set planning policies and they are taken into account by Planning Authorities when deciding whether to approve planning applications. Thurnby and Bushby does not have a Neighbourhood Plan. The Steering Group for it is being re-convened after Covid and TABS has offered help particularly on environmental aspects when required.

Turning to local Planning Applications we have, as usual, checked these throughout the year and responded to HDC on any which might affect the parish as a whole or might set an unwelcome precedent. TABS do not get involved with individual house extensions except when these are unacceptably large and overbearing for the adjacent properties.

The current position is:

Bloor Homes are completing the building of their approved 275 houses at Charity Farm off the Uppingham Road in Bushby. They are obliged to provide a football pitch and allotments, which they have located on land the other side of Thurnby Brook. They have given the management of this to Trinity who manage the open spaces elsewhere on the development. TABS objected that this takes control away from the residents even though they would pay a levy to Trinity. We also felt that use should be free.

A 73-bed Care Home for Cinnamon Luxury Care has been approved on the site of the former Garage and adjacent pair of semi-detached houses. The site was cleared 18 months ago but no further work has taken place. Cinnamon has applied to make changes to the disposition of the rooms and this awaits a decision from HDC.

Scraptoft North is a proposed development of 1200 houses on the Golf Course north of Scraptoft. It would affect Thurnby & Bushby because of increased traffic. The development would rely on existing roads (Keyham Lane West, Station Road, Hamilton Lane and the Beeby Road) with only minor changes to junctions. TABS has objected to the increased traffic heading for the A47.

TABS will continue to respond to future consultations and planning applications where appropriate.

Mike Lord