By Tess Rushin

Up to 190 new homes could be built on a former quarry near Shepshed.

The land, in Ashby Road Central, was previously used to provide clay for a nearby brickworks, but part of it has since been restored to grassland, according to a planning application submitted to Charnwood Borough Council (CBC) by Richborough Estates and Michelmersh Brick Holdings.

The applicants want to turn the site into housing, and have suggested a country park could be part of the development. 

They also say they could make a "contribution" to a new primary school on land to the west of Shepshed that has been allocated for housing in CBC's draft local plan – a document which sets out where development can and cannot take place in an area.

Richborough Estates said a new access to the estate would be created off Ashby Road. 

The applicants are asking for outline planning permission, which means that the scheme would be approved in principle, with further details to be worked out at a later date.

Documents submitted to the council on behalf of the applicants read: "The larger parcel of land is a historic quarry for clay extraction, the smaller parcel to the east is agricultural land. 

Part of the larger quarry site has been restored to grassland and trees and hedgerows have been planted."

The documents state that the site has permission to be used for clay extraction until 2041, although it has not been in use since 2022. 

They add that a manufacturing plant has been removed, and that "there are no intentions for recommencing clay extraction to manufacture bricks".

"The proposed development includes extensive areas of open space including the potential provision of a country park, orchard, allotments and tree lined street to be defined at the detailed design stage," the documents add. 

The application documents can be viewed on the council's planning portal, and comments and objections can be made until Wednesday, February 26.