A motion to allow the Meadow Lane site in Coalville to be included in the district's local plan was defeated this week.

The motion was put forward by Labour councillor Peter Moult - but it was strongly opposed by Liberal Democrat councillor Michael Wyatt.

Cllr Wyatt said later that the move would have risked over 400 houses being built on the open countryside site.

Documents show that homebuilder Redrow has already drawn up plans for the Holly Hayes Gate development at Meadow Lane.

But Whitwick councillor Moult said Meadow Lane should be included in the local plan as there needs to be an area of separation between Coalville and Whitwick.

The motion would have seen the Broom Leys Farm site taken out of the Local Plan.

Redrow's proposals for the Meadow Lane site say: "The site has been recently considered as a draft allocation in the new Local Plan for 400 homes."

A vote saw the motion defeated by five votes to six at North West Leicestershire District Council's Local Plan Committee on Wednesday, with Cllr Wyatt gaining support from alliance councillors.

Cllr Moult said: "With regards to the area of separation between Coalville and Whitwick, this has always been supported by both significant parties and supported by the electorate across the district.

"As such, it should be listened to. This current allocation would result in significant loss of land, we, as a council, defended this at public enquiry and we were backed by the Secretary of State.

"It went to judicial review and they sided with us, so why are we looking at it now?

"To me, nothing has fundamentally changed. We should maintain the area of separation."

But Cllr Wyatt responded to the move, claiming the Labour motion was based on the proposed national policies of party leader Sir Kier Starmer.

He said: "The local community in my particular area have made it perfectly clear that the impact of any development in that particular area would be absolutely devastating.

"We should be listening to local communities, not national politicians like Mr Starmer who wants to build one million houses in the UK.

"I listen to the local community and they ask me to fight tooth and nail to make sure Meadow Lane is not part of the Local Plan, and that's what I've delivered. I won't be voting for the motion."

But Labour councillor, Dave Bigby, added: "We're here to make a decision for the whole district, and if we all start shouting about a particular site in our ward, then we'll get nowhere.

"I think Cllr Wyatt is being short-sighted in arguing for a site in his ward, and not looking at the larger perspective."