Homes bid for former factory set to be approved

Plans for hundreds of new homes on the site of a "contaminated" former door factory have been recommended for approval.

Worthearly Ltd wants to create 298 properties on the Jeld Wen site in Snow Hill, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

A viability assessment said the cost of clearing up the site – described by Melton Borough Council planning officers as having "significant land contamination" – means there will be no contributions to healthcare, highways, waste and other facilities.

However, the developer has agreed to make a contribution of more than £4m towards schools in the area.

The report said: "Whilst the position remains challenging on this site, the applicant has agreed to provide the education contributions to mitigate the impacts."

The council has included a "review mechanism" in the financial agreement with the developer so the situation can be looked at again during the construction stage of the scheme, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The application had previously been scheduled to be discussed at the council's planning committee in March, but the item was pulled from the agenda ahead of the meeting.

A number of affordable housing units had been part of the original plans, but planning officers said the proposal changed following the submission of the viability assessment.

It is now "proposed to be private housing", the report added.

The council received 34 objections to the scheme with residents expressing concerns over the impact on the town's services, in particular on GP surgeries and schools.

Three letters were submitted in support of the scheme in favour of developing brownfield land.

Planning officers have recommended councillors approve the scheme when the council's planning committee meets on Thursday.

Last year, firefighters were called to a blaze at the disused factory. It took crews from Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire four hours to put the fire out.

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