Residents have voiced concerns about plans to build 500 new homes in West Whitwick as part of North West Leicestershire District Council's local plan.

At Wednesday's meeting of the council's Local Plan Committee, members of the public had the chance to put questions about the future development.

Concerns varied from the public having no knowledge of the plans, to how the new properties would be accessed, to fears it would 'destroy' the community.

The development is part of plans to build 1,000 houses in the area before 2040. They are:

• Land at Broom Leys Farm, Broom Leys Road – 266 dwellings

• South of Church Lane, New Swannington – 283 dwellings

• West of Whitwick – Broad Location – 500 dwellings

• Former Hermitage Leisure Centre, Silver Street, Whitwick – 32 dwellings

Whitwick Parish Council held drop-in sessions earlier this year in an effort to raise awareness of the consultation and to support residents who wish to have their views considered by the District Council before the plan is finalised.

The draft North West Leicestershire District Council Local plan adds the area is scheduled for:

• Around 500 homes

• Provision of affordable housing

• Provision for self-build and custom housebuilding

• Areas of public open space

• Surface water drainage provision

But a number of residents told the committee that people were still not aware of the plans.

One said: "I was particularly devastated to find that the draft plan includes proposals to build 500 properties to the West of Whitwick, which will completely destroy the village community, be detrimental to wildlife and the environment, destroy productive farmland and place even more pressure on the road network and local resources.

"Reading what you've written, it talks about the final housing requirement should be in line with jobs available.

"Housing should be close to the points of employment and you can identify plenty of land around industrial estates such as Bardon Road, where there's still land and no housing, and where there's road infrastructure.

"Whitwick has neither of those two things. Have the Council done everything they can to identify more environmentally friendly areas where developments would be more in line with the community?"

Ian Nelson, Planning Policy Manager, replied: "There is no land available around Bardon that would be suitable for housing.

The Local Plan Committee meeting was held on Tuesday. Photo: Teams

"We're trying to strike a balance between jobs and homes."

Another resident added: "Would it be advisable to postpone decisions on the West Whitwick plans to a later date?

"I live close to the proposed area. Has the committee made enough effort to make people aware of these plans? I've spoken to people who are simply not aware and the effect of the development on the area.

"If the plans go through, they will have such a significant effect on a village like Whitwick, I feel more should have been done to promote this."

He was told that the consultations and drop-in sessions were publicised in February of this year - and it was unfortunate that he has missed out on that.

Another resident questioned plans to provide access to the new homes from Talbot Street.

She said: "Anyone who is familiar with the built up street, in my opinion, would say that's virtually impossible.

"For a development of this scale to be considered for inclusion in the local plan, our planners must have considered access points for the committee to make an informed decision. If so, may I ask where?"

Mr Nelson responded: "We've still got a lot more work to do on that, and that's why we identified a broad location rather than specific allocation, because we didn't have the certainty and that's something we're still looking at."