Fleckney residents feel 'abandoned' after plans for shops were scrapped to build new homes

A CGI image of some of the homes being built in Fleckney

Changes to the application were approved at a recent planning meeting

Fleckney residents say their village has been ‘abandoned’ and ‘let down’ after plans to remove shops from a planning application was given the green light.

William Packer, who has lived in the village for some 75 years, spoke at a recent Harborough District Council planning meeting to oppose plans to build eight homes and a smaller car park on land earmarked for shops next to Fleckney’s High Street.

But the authority approved the proposal after developer Besh Limited said there was a ‘lack of interest’ in original plans to build retail spaces for local businesses. The plans would also have seen flats built.

Controversial plan to build houses instead of shops in Fleckney has been approve...

At the meeting an agent for the developer said they had carried out a survey which found there would be little uptake of businesses interested in the space.

But Mr Packer said the survey should have been carried out independently instead of by Besh Limited, and that more shops and parking spaces are needed.

He told the Mail: “Every week there used to be a greengrocer setting up a stall in the car park which attracted a fishmonger and other small traders and this was very popular. Unfortunately due to staffing problems he had to stop coming.

“A survey of the village requirements should have been independently assessed and not have been provided by the developer who has invested interests.

“The comment from the planning officer was that the developer had no obligation under the original planning agreement to build shops and flats.

“If the original planning was passed on the premise then the scheme was to include shops and flats then it was not properly intimated to the Parish Council or residents that they might not get these facilities.

“I feel the village has been badly let down and will no longer have the opportunity to provide much needed facilities in the centre of the ever-growing village.”

The developer said in planning documents: “There is no justified need for retail units in this location, and they would be unlikely to be let, as demonstrated through the lack of market interest. This creates the possibility of vacant retail units and flats that could be better utilised as family homes.”