A bid to knock down two homes and build 13 in their place is set to be decided next week. The plan, from Nick Harding and Joanne Tudor, centres on land currently occupied by numbers 137 and 139 in Church Lane, Whitwick, near Coalville.

The applicants originally sought to tear down the two properties and build 15 on the back-land site. This was then reduced by two following concerns from officers at North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC). In light of the changes, planning approval is now recommended to be given when councillors on NWLDC's planning committee meet next week to debate the scheme.

The recommendation comes despite strong objection in the community. Some 61 objections have been filed against the plan, along with those from Whitwick Parish Council and Hermitage ward councillor Anthony Barker.

The parish criticised the proposal to demolish "two perfectly good homes" and to replace them with a "highly concentrated" development on what is currently grassland, saying it would be akin to an "act of ecological vandalism". The applicants insist the plans would provide "high quality housing" for the area.

Further concerns were raised by the parish council over the risk of overshadowing, loss of privacy and general impact on neighbouring homes; the impact on the road and pedestrian safety, including that of children walking to school; and the impact of the construction work on the neighbouring cemetery which the parish fears will be "distressing for the bereaved".

Residents have raised similar concerns, branding Church Lane a "rat run". They said there is already a problem with on-street parking "hindering" the "free flow" of traffic, adding they fear the development will "compound these issues and cause accidents".

Further concerns were raised over added strain to Whitwick's services such as the medical centre, schools and public transport from additional residents in the area. However, planning officers at NWLDC feel the scheme would be a "sustainable" form of development.

They said Leicestershire County Council, as the highways authority, had been consulted and raised no objections to the scheme. There would not be any "detriment to highway or pedestrian safety" as a result of the new homes. They added any existing on-street parking problems is a matter to be "reviewed and addressed separately" by the county council.

Officers also believed neither of the two homes set for demolition were "of any particular architectural merit" and could be flattened through a simple prior notification procedure which does not require a full planning application. They also felt the proposal would not have any "adverse overbearing or overshadowing impacts" in neighbours, adding: "A residential use is not a noisy use."

Officers also weighed in on the impact on funeral goers, saying: "Given the temporary impact, which would not be significant in any case, there would be no justification to resist the development on this basis."

Financial contributions would also be sought from the applicant to help ease any additional burden on services. These would include £11,616 towards "increasing and improving" care at the Whitwick Health Centre.

If approved, the new homes will be made up of two two-beds, seven three-beds, three four-beds and one five-bed property. The majority of the parking would be off-street, with multiple spaces for each home.

The proposal going before NWLDC next week is for outline permission only.

This means, if they give permission for the scheme, it would be approved in principle only and the developers would need to return with a full application to be agreed before any work can take place.