Homes scheme back again (Leicester Mercury 12/10/09)

Residents are being asked to rally for a second time to protect a green space from development.

More than 2,000 people submitted objections when the building company J S Bloor put in a planning application to build 140 houses on what is currently grazing land between Groby Cemetery and Ratby village, in July.

The application was withdrawn before it went to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council's planning committee for a decision.

Now, a new application has been submitted, amended to 133 houses.

Objectors say they will muster even more opposition than before.

Ratby and Groby parish councils, Ratby Action Group and local borough and county councillors will team up again to organise the response.

They hope to involve Groby Community College and Brookvale High schools, which were on holiday last time.

While the applicants say that the site has good transport links and is close to schools and amenities, Groby Parish Council chairman Peter Batty said it was important to be clear that the development would be in Ratby, not Groby.

Ratby Action Group chairman Robert James said: "There are hundreds of people against this."

Bloor says it has worked closely with the council to draw up the new scheme.

Link to Mercury article