Draft local plan for Harborough district to be discussed by Cabinet

If Cabinet recommends the draft local plan to Council, Council will consider on 3 March 2025 whether to approve the draft local plan for an eight-week public consultation.
 
The draft local plan for the Harborough District sets out the council’s vision to support new homes, workspaces, transport and other infrastructure and community facilities, while preserving the Harborough’s District rural character and rich heritage. 
 
Development in Market Harborough and near Leicester and Oadby in particular will provide diverse housing, job opportunities, and improved healthcare, education and recreation services. The district’s unique market towns and expanded employment hubs in Lutterworth, Market Harborough and near Oadby will boost the economy, with Magna Park continuing as a key logistics hub. The plan aims to create well-designed communities where families can live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives. 
 
The new local plan is expected to support the delivery of 657 homes per year between 2020 and 2036, and 534 homes per year between 2036 and 2041. This is compared to 557 homes a year in the council’s 2019 local plan. The government is changing their standard method of calculating housing need and if the council does not publish its local plan for consultation in mid-March 2025 this change will increase the number of homes the council has to plan for by around 200 a year. Many of Harborough’s neighbouring councils will also see increases.
 
The current local plan allocated a site known as Scraptoft North for development. It is proposed to no-longer pursue this as an allocation for development in the draft new local plan. This is due to the effects of well known, long-standing and well publicised issues with development viability. The new local plan is putting forward other potential allocations nearby for consideration by councillors as part of their deliberations relating to the preparation of the draft new local plan.
 
Cllr Galton, Cabinet lead for Planning said: “Thanks to the decisions made by the Council at the end of 2023 around progression of the local plan and ensuring adequate resources to do this quickly, we have been able to develop the plan under December 2023 Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This means the requirement for new homes in the district is around 2,000 fewer than would have been the case under the Government’s new December 2024 planning policy framework. 
 
“We have worked hard to meet national requirements whilst exploring ways to protect our attractive district and valued communities. This is not just a plan about housing but a plan to shape places and make successful new communities for the future.”
 
Cllr Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council said: “We know housing growth can sometimes be challenging for communities but we need to deliver homes for future generations. It’s essential that we put in place an up-to-date local plan which complies with Government planning requirements as soon as possible. Only by doing this can we regain control over planning decisions and prevent unplanned speculative development.”

A local plan is a land use strategy that covers everything from the location of housing and workspaces to green spaces and new school buildings. Where authorities do not progress their own local plan, the government has been clear that it may step in and take over the process. Acting now means we keep control of Harborough District’s future, shaped by local people and local priorities.
 
The draft plan and accompanying documents will be published on the council’s website on 12 February 2025. To view the papers visit: https://cmis.harborough.gov.uk/cmis5/Meetings.aspx and click on the link for 20 February 2025, Cabinet.  

It is anticipated that the Cabinet papers relating to the local plan for consideration by Cabinet at their Extraordinary Cabinet Meeting on 20 February 2025 will be published during the afternoon on 12 February 2025.