Issue - meetings

The Leader of the Council to submit a report seeking Cabinet approval of the Masterplan for the Melton South Sustainable Neighbourhood.

Cabinet:

1)    APPROVED the Masterplan for the purposes of providing a framework to guide the consideration of future planning applications in the South Melton area including the identified ‘Sustainable Neighbourhood’ area, subject to the receipt of a viability assessment that demonstrates its deliverability.

2)    NOTED, that the approval of the Masterplan will support the delivery of the south section (A606 to A607) of the Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (MMDR) in particular.

3)    NOTED that approval of the Masterplan is the final part of the package of works required to support the County Council in accepting the Homes England Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) grant, as set out by their Cabinet on 20 July 2021.

The Assistant Director for Planning and Delivery introduced the report. The Cabinet was informed that this piece of work was the last commitment to Leicestershire County Council in order for them to be able to accept the Housing Infrastructure Fund bid from Homes England.

Councillor Bindloss commented that the masterplan incorporates the Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (MMDR), which will be built by 2025. He added that the masterplan demonstrates the wider potential of the MMDR and sets out the framework for the whole area. The masterplan would bring new opportunities for business including quality and well thought out premises from which to grow and provide new employment opportunities. It would also bring new homes for residents to live in.

The Leader commented that the masterplan and the MMDR would bring new growth to Melton Mowbray and confirmed that a planning application for the MMDR would be submitted in 2022.

(DECISION: KEY)

Cabinet:

1)    APPROVED the Masterplan for the purposes of providing a framework to guide the consideration of future planning applications in the South Melton area including the identified ‘Sustainable Neighbourhood’ area, subject to the receipt of a viability assessment that demonstrates its deliverability.

2)    NOTED that the approval of the Masterplan will support the delivery of the south section (A606 to A607) of the Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (MMDR) in particular.

3)    NOTED that approval of the Masterplan is the final part of the package of works required to support the County Council in accepting the Homes England Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) grant, as set out by their Cabinet on 20 July 2021.

Reasons for the recommendation

The Masterplan incorporates within a wider context the main requirements of adopted Policy SS4, supporting the wider aspirations of the Local Plan for a high-quality sustainable neighbourhood, and the delivery of homes and the infrastructure required to support them.

The Masterplan has been developed as a result of close collaboration between the Council and the landowners/developers, and represents a strong, positive and coherent approach to the continued development of the area south of Melton Mowbray including the South Sustainable Neighbourhood.

The adopted Masterplan will provide the assurance as required by Leicestershire County Council to ensure the delivery of housing and associated infrastructure, giving them the confidence to proceed with and ‘forward fund’ the education requirements for the Borough and the MMDR project.

Viability assessment of the Masterplan is underway, and initial outputs are expected early in 2022. The County Council is keen to see progress with the Masterplan and agrees with the approach set out at recommendation 2.1, that the Masterplan is approved subject to viability assessment. The headline viability assessment and its final outputs will be shared with the County Council at the earliest possible opportunity, and the assessment will be subject to the scrutiny of both parties.