Plans to build up to nine homes in a 'small village' near Coalville have been refused by North West Leicestershire District Council.

Road safety concerns voiced by a local councillor, and concerns that the size of the scheme was out of proportion to the Sinope area, contributed to the rejection.

An application for permission in principle for the residential dwellings was made in November at the Slaughterhouse site in Ashby Road, on the A511.

The scheme has been proposed by Ashby-based business T. Wainwright (Haulage), with the PIP application looking for initial permission for the scheme, with further details to be submitted at a later date.

A planning statement accompanying the application said: "At the present time, there is a single building located in the north-east corner of the site which is being used as a knackers yard. 

"However, it should be noted that planning permission was granted for change of use of the yard commercial units and the erection of a knackers yard which results in development across the site."

Giving its reasons for refusal, the council said: "Sinope is defined as a 'Small Village' which has very limited services. It is not a form of development supported in the countryside. 

"The site itself would not be sustainably located when having regard to meeting the everyday needs of future occupiers who would be reliant on the private car to meet their day-to-day needs and so the proposal is not socially or environmentally sustainable in accordance with the National Planning Policy framework. 

"As a result of development on a predominantly greenfield site, the proposal would also not be environmentally sustainable."

The ward member, Cllr John Geary, also voiced his opposition to the scheme.

He said: "Although this site currently lies outside the limits of development, I have no objections to limited development. 

"I do however have concerns regarding the number of residential dwellings proposed. 

"The site, along with the rest of the community, is not well served with public transport, only two or three busses a day. 

"The nearest bus stop is some 400 meters away with no pedestrian footpath alongside this busy road. 

"All journeys to work, shops and schools therefore will depend on personal transport which means accessing the main A511. 

An overhead view of the site. Photo: North West Leicestershire District Council

"This is a major concern as I have lived in Sinope for the past 39 years and daily witness the volume of speeding traffic that uses this road. 

"I'm sorry but the comments of the Highways Authority in no way reflect the current situation. 

"Over the past few years there has been many accidents within 400metres of the proposed entrance to this site - three have been fatal with the last one only a couple of months ago. 

"In October, the road was closed for over five hours when a lorry left the carriageway and ended in a field on fire, all down to travelling too fast. 

"The problem is as always, the speed of traffic passing along this road, I would therefore suggest that the speed limit be reduced to 40 miles per hour and as a condition of any planning permission, a speed recording camera be installed. 

"Figures prove this to be a dangerous section of road, and we must surely have a duty of care to try and reduce all accidents."

Coleorton Parish Council had already raised objections on the grounds of over-intensive development, outside the limits of development, and concerns about contaminated land and highways in particular in relation to the A511.