North West Leicestershire Labour Group is calling on the Local Plan Committee to acknowledge new officer recommendations to now remove the Packington Nook site from the emerging Local Plan following the Government’s decision to lift HS2 safeguarding in Measham and Kegworth.
Safeguarding removal, confirmed last week by local MP Amanda Hack, means land previously protected for HS2 infrastructure is now available to be allocated as part of the local plan. The original rationale for allocating nearly 1,100 homes at Packington Nook was based on a perceived shortfall of suitable land, largely due to the HS2 restrictions.
Cllr John Legrys, Leader of the North West Leicestershire Labour Group said:
The lifting of HS2 safeguarding has fundamentally changed the planning landscape in North West Leicestershire. Sites that were previously off-limits can now be reviewed, and the original justification for including Packington Nook as a reserve site has completely fallen away. We are calling on the Local Plan Committee to rethink its approach and remove Packington Nook from the plan.”
Cllr Dave Bigby, ward member for Ashby Willesley, said:
“This is the moment residents have been waiting for. With HS2 safeguarding now lifted, there is simply no justification left for keeping Packington Nook in the Local Plan. Ashby has already taken its fair share of housing over the past decade, and now that the constraints have gone, Packington Nook must be removed from the local plan as per the new officer recommendations.”
The change of Government policy also means that projects to regenerate parts of the district can now move forward.
Cllr Sean Sheahan, Ward Member for Measham South, added:
“This has profound implications for Measham. Long-delayed projects, like the restoration of The Ashby Canal, can finally move forward, unlocking years of stalled progress. This renewed momentum will drive much-needed investment into local regeneration. Ultimately, it will attract new people and opportunities to our area, delivering real, lasting benefits for the whole community.”
