New images of a controversial housing scheme on a former Leicestershire landfill site have emerged. The development had initially been rejected by officials, before the scheme was approved on appeal.
Work on the 165-home development, on the former landfill off Glen Parva’s Cork Lane, is currently underway. New images from high above in a light aircraft have revealed the scale of the scheme as the site is redeveloped.
The images, which were posted by Matthew Wennington online, reveal how construction on the former landfill site is in its early stages, but the scheme itself remains controversial. Plans were originally rejected by Blaby District Council (BDC) amid fears of leaking flammable methane gas.
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165 homes are being built on former landfill off Cork Lane, in Glen Parva
(Image: Matthew Wennington)
However, the application was won on appeal by developer Glen Parva JV LLP after it was agreed that there would not be an unacceptable risk to residents or neighbours from the landfill. That came after new evidence was put forward by contamination experts.
As part of the agreement, the developer was required to submit a gas mitigation scheme which had to be met before work could begin. Methane gas is produced through the decomposition of rubbish and can be dangerous when trapped in confined spaces.
In September, LeicestershireLive reported on noise and dust that was being created by the piling works taking place in the area. Piling is often required for developments on landfills to ensure weight is distributed to firm land beneath the surface.
165 homes are being built on former landfill off Cork Lane, in Glen Parva
(Image: Matthew Wennington)
At the time, a spokesperson for developer Vistry said the company was taking the concerns of the community “seriously”, adding “all necessary precautions” were in place, which included “continuous independent noise and vibration monitoring” to ensure there is “no risk to neighbouring properties”, and “regular dust dampening”.
BDC told LeicestershireLive the developer was complying with national guidelines when it came to noise from the site. It added the council and developer had agreed mitigation measures to minimise the impact of the works, including dust.
The spokesperson for Vistry said the homes were “much-needed” and that like most “large-scale” developments, there would be necessary piling works taking place. They stressed all precautions were being followed to ensure no risk to neighbours.
They added: “We do take seriously the concerns of the local community and are keen to build positive relationships throughout the project. We encourage anyone impacted by the work to contact our customer service team. Our site manager will continue to keep in touch with our site neighbours to update them.”
At the time the application was approved, planning officers at BDC said the site would take a number of years to be developed and would be monitored throughout. Post-completion, quarterly monitoring would take place for one year, they added.
165 homes are being built on former landfill off Cork Lane, in Glen Parva
(Image: Matthew Wennington)
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