ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING

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In its aim to care for the local environment the main emphasis is to continue to care for what we have got. This means making sure maintenance schedules of Leicestershire County Council, Harborough District Council and the Parish Council address what is required and actually happen!

Current areas of focus are to establish regular tree and shrub work on our Greens which in recent years have been particularly neglected. Also, TABS continues to care for the Manor Field Pond and Telford Way Green. 

Manor Field Pond

Sadly, this is turning into a seasonal pond. Efforts are in progress to try and get sensitive tree work done, especially the removal of inappropriate self-set trees and reducing the Aspen tree to try and reduce water demand. But perhaps it’s just climate change? It’s very sad if we can no longer have a pond throughout the summer – no tadpoles, frogs and newts, nesting ducks etc.

The Telford Way Green

Some plants have done very well – including a self-set buddleia which is coming along nicely. Some other plants didn’t. So, it is planned to review the four circles, probably cutting back bushes that are choking others, extending the circle size to create more room and a planting scheme replacing plants lost were appropriate.

TABS is always open to suggestions as to how to improve any area, either by maintenance or fresh planting.

Judith Lord

May 2026

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

This has been a particularly busy year. Changes are happening to Government rules and local Planning Documents are being written or revised. Regarding setting up Unitary Authorities in Leicestershire and Rutland it is understood that the Government will make a decision this Summer and the new Councils would be in place in 2028. HDC have sent the draft Local Plan for 2020 – 2041 to the Government Inspector who will hold a Public Enquiry, probably later this year. And in the Parish a Neighbourhood Plan is in progress, led by Melanie Wakley.

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.  The 73-bed Care Home for Cinnamon Care is nearing completion. TABS is concerned by the lack of adequate car parking for staff and visitors, although this was approved by HDC.

Land adjacent to Manor Field. Bungalows have been proposed here plus an extra car park for Manor Field. This was refused by HDC for heritage reasons as this land is in the heart of Thurnby. The applicant has appealed to the Secretary of State and TABS wrote to support HDC’s reasons to refuse it.

Lidl have been given approval by HDC for a discount store off Zouche Way by the A47. The approval does not include signage and advertising for which separate permission will be required.

As already mentioned, the old HDC Local Plan is now out of date and the new one is not yet approved. In this vacuum, two Planning Applications have been lodged in the parish which HDC has to consider on their merits. These are by Mulberry Land and Roebuck Land.

Mulberry Land

This is for 900 houses south of the A47 and extending towards Houghton. It would increase the number of houses in Thurnby and Bushby by 50%. A committee has been set up to oppose this, managed by Melanie Wakley. and TABS has written to HDC objecting to it. Our objections included landscape loss, size and the inadequate local road network with a single junction with the A47 to handle it. HDC has yet to make decision on this application.

Roebuck Land

This is for up to 130 houses east of Zouche Way and north of the Lidl site. TABS has written to HDC objecting to it. The chief objection is environment, and again the inadequate local road network and junction with the A47 to handle it. The traffic from the Bloor’s development of 275 houses and Lidl also uses this same junction. HDC has yet to make decision on this application.

Mike Lord

23 May 2026