COUNCIL ADVISED TO TAKE NORTHERN GROWTH
OPTION
PRESS RELEASE
23 September 2009
At last night’s meeting of the MLDF Task
Group, councillors met to look at where 1,000 new homes are to be
built as an urban extension to the town. They also looked at the
best route for the long-awaited Melton bypass.
Having visited
the sites to the north and south of the town, councillors received
the results of new transport modelling and other evidence about the
various housing and bypass options. With uncertainty over the
availability of public funding for a bypass, development to the
north of the town could provide for a partial bypass solution
between Nottingham Road and Melton Spinney Road. This new road
would need to be provided as part of the development and would not
only deal with the new housing but would also provide significant
relief to traffic congestion in the town centre. This road could
then be incorporated into a three-quarter bypass between the A607
(Thorpe road) and the A606 (Burton Road).
Councillor Jackson, Chairman of the Task
Group, said:
‘The Task Group has recommended to Full
Council that housing development would be best placed to the north
of the town, but the developers need to convince us that they are
willing to provide a partial bypass as part of the development. We
also want to make sure that they are prepared to provide community
facilities, such as a primary school, affordable housing,
recreation, shops and services.’
The Task Group noted that there was still
little to choose between the northern and southern growth options.
When visiting the sites, councillors looked at the impact of the
new John Ferneley school building on the landscape setting to the
town. Concerns about the impact of development on Sysonby Lodge, a
listed building, and Melton Country Park will also need to be
addressed.
A special meeting of the Full Council will now
be arranged to consider the recommendations of the Task Group and
to make a formal decision. The new evidence received will be made
public at that time. It is expected that there will be a final
round of public consultation this winter, and a public inquiry next
year, before the plan is finalised.
Click
to download a PDF version of the map
~ends~
For more information please
contact:
Colin Wilkinson
Assistant Chief Executive
Melton Borough Council
Telephone: 01664 502 380
Email: cwilkinson@melton.gov.uk
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