Information on Loughborough

New Town Near Loughborough

Posted on 21/11/2007
P. Klein

Posted on 21st November 2007

P. Klein

low energy house with solar panels

Outline proposals for a major new Eco-town just north of Loughborough involving the creation of a sustainable community of at least 6,000 homes have been submitted to the Department of Communities & Local Government.

Chesterfield-based firm Banks Developments is hoping to build the new Kingston community on 600 hectares of land on the Kingston Estate which is near Kegworth.

The scheme would also be expected to lead to the creation of over 3,700 new jobs in the area, in a range of sectors.

The Kingston proposal has been put forward in response to the Governments Eco-town Programme, which aims to help meet the countrys growing housing needs by creating new sustainable settlements across all parts of the country.

The Prime Minister announced at the recent Labour Party conference that the Government wished to see at least ten eco-towns built in England using low and zero-carbon homes. It is understood that the intention is that there will be at least one eco town in every region of the country.

The proposed Kingston site lies six kilometres east of East Midlands Airport between the villages of East Leake and Kegworth, and in the centre of the area defined by Nottingham, Leicester and Derby.

David Gosling at Banks Developments says: "The Eco-towns Programme is being promoted by Government to balance two distinct and pressing requirements " the urgent need to build more homes, and the need to build them in an environmentally acceptable manner.

"The Kingston site represents an outstanding opportunity to create a high quality sustainable community of at least 6,000 homes, and would place the East Midlands in the vanguard of regions looking to make the Eco-town principle a reality.

"Kingston would also provide a convenient, easy-to-reach option for the rising number of people working at and associated with East Midlands Airport, which is a major source of employment growth in the region, but for which there is currently no additional housing provision.

"Network Rail is also planning to build a new mainline station in the area with direct links to London, and a number of major new road schemes are also being planned.  The Kingston community would therefore also provide an excellent opportunity to maximise the benefits gained from this significant investment in transport infrastructure.

The new community would include infrastructure works such as new primary and secondary schools, road, footpath and cycleway links to all other parts of the region, and a range of other essential facilities.

 A distinctive town centre and two local centres would be created, with retail and office buildings providing jobs and quality shopping. Multi-purpose community buildings, community leisure centres, Learning Resource Centres, places of worship and health clinics would also be incorporated into the design.

 All homes would be built using the latest low and zero-carbon technologies, and would include a fully-integrated mix of terraced, semi-detached, detached and apartment properties, as well as live/work units and specialist retirement housing schemes.  At least 30 per cent would be affordable homes and around 80 per cent would be suitable for families. The development so close to Loughborough would undoubtedly reduce the strain on Loughboroughs property market. It would also help the prosperity in the area by creating jobs.

Much of the existing hedgerow and woodland would be retained as part of a linked network of green spaces, which would also include parks, playing fields, allotments and other public open spaces.

Accessible recreational routes for walkers and cyclists would also be created, valley areas would be protected through sustainable drainage systems and the West Leake Hills would be protected in perpetuity as a country park.

Kingstons energy requirements would be met through a mixture of renewable sources which could include biomass, wind turbines and the use of waste heat from Combined Heat & Power (CHP) facilities.  Innovative water and waste management systems would also be put in place to ensure best use of these resources.

Banks is taking a national lead on the Eco-town Programme, and is also proposing to build two further sustainable settlements at sites in the Midlands, as well as others in Northumberland and Fife, which would, in total, involve building around 30,000 new homes over the next 20 years.

It is envisaged that it would take around 12 years to complete work on the Kingston community, with around 2,500 dwellings scheduled to be delivered by 2016 if work is commenced by the end of 2009.

David Gosling continues: "The Kingston site is in a unique position at the heart of the Three Cities sub-region, and is the only realistic option for a new town within that area.

"Banks has had a long-standing association with the site, and also has a unique combination of expertise in the property, renewable energy and waste management sectors, all of which would be called upon for the creation of the Kingston eco-town.

"Our Development With Care strategy puts the principles of sustainable development at the heart of everything we do, and if our bid is approved by the Government, we would then prepare a planning application for the scheme.

"This would involve conducting consultation exercises to ensure all local people can find out everything they want to about our proposals and can ask any questions they want to raise.

"We firmly believe that the proposals we are putting forward have the potential to offer many economic, social and environmental benefits to both the local area and the wider region, and very much hope that we will have the opportunity to create an exciting new eco-town for the region.

A Government decision on which eco-town proposals are to be taken forward is expected in spring next year. 

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