URGENT!
Stop the proposed
'New Town'
at Great Glen, Stretton Hall & Oadby
We must take action now to prevent Harborough Council and Oadby & Wigston Council from rushing through a deeply flawed decision that will cause enormous damage to our environment and communities.
Dear Residents of Great Glen,
Stretton Hall, Newton Harcourt, Oadby, Houghton on the Hill,
Burton Overy, Kibworth
& Surrounding Communities
Harborough council is about to rubber stamp a proposed “new town” development of 4000 houses around Stretton Hall and Great Glen, which would have a significant impact on our area. Oadby and Wigston council is also set to approve 2000 houses on adjacent land. This is a joint proposal between the two districts.
Shockingly, only around one in a thousand local residents currently know about this proposal.
THE SCHEDULE FOR HARBOROUGH
• 20th February 2025: A special Harborough Council cabinet meeting will be held to approve it.
• 3rd March 2025: Special council meeting to rubber stamp the plan.
• 12th March 2025: Public consultation.
While we acknowledge the need for more housing, this proposal is deeply flawed for many reasons: it will put untenable strain on already overstretched infrastructure (roads, NHS, schools, and more), it threatens to exacerbate the already desperate flooding situation at Great Glen, it ignores viable alternatives like brownfield and urban redevelopment, it removes the green space between Oadby and Great Glen sacrificing the rural character of the area.
It is imperative that residents keep are involved at all stages to make sure that deeply damaging plans are not forced on us. This means holding councillors accountable, asking questions and making your voice heard in the public consultations.
What should you do now?
Keep informed by joining our mailing list. We will let you know when and how to make your opinion known.
STOP PRESS: The government have imposed new targets on Leicestershire. This means that the previous local plan proposals no longer meet these targets. This makes an even bigger problem as developments can be forced through by the government. We will keep you informed as the situation changes.
The Full Proposals
Harborough Council have now published their local plan, February 2025.
You can download all the details here:
HDC Local Plan Documents
Great Glen, Stretton Hall & Newton Harcourt
Thurnby & Houghton on the Hill
Kibworth
Oadby and Wigston have published their detailed proposals for their local plan.
This is not the solution
Alternatives do exist in more appropriate areas. Brownfield sites across England, including underused commercial spaces, can be developed to meet housing needs without sacrificing the greenbelt. Many such areas exist in Leicester city, where the need for social housing is acute. This approach would also revitalise urban areas, reduce energy consumption, and align with sustainability goals.
Approving this development is not the right decision. It would disregard the overwhelming opposition of local residents, prioritise short-term convenience over long-term sustainability and community welfare, and go against simple common sense.
Please use your voice and urge the council to reject this proposal, forcing the council to instead champion sustainable development that actually serves the community, protects our green spaces, respects our shared future, and provides housing where it is actually needed.
Why This Plan Is Flawed
Traffic
It would take traffic congestion on the A6 past breaking point, being a single carriageway road.
Infrastructure
Local NHS services, sewage systems and other infrastructure are already stretched to the limit and cannot support a development on this scale.
Environmental Commitments
It would undermine environmental commitments (supposedly championed by Harborough council) by increasing carbon emissions and reliance on cars.
Ecology
It would damage wildlife and destroy ecosystems. This area is known to contain a number of badger sets, other diverse wildlife, vibrant hedgerows and mature trees.
Farmland
It would destroy valuable and irreplaceable farmland, essential for UK food independence
No local industry
The local area is not appropriate for social housing required by the government, with poor transport and no local jobs, forcing such residents into expensive travel to find work in the city.
Flooding
Building on this land will drastically affect land drainage, and hence have a direct impact on flooding both in Oadby, and Great Glen, areas where this is already a serious problem.
Great Glen is a category 3 flood risk area.
Pollution
Pollution through Kibworth is already at the limit and being monitored. Increase in the already heavy traffic on the A6 will take this beyond permitted levels.
The Case Against
We have investigated why to consider building on this land is fundamentally flawed, and created a detailed document giving the case against.
Request our document via email below.
PLEASE DONATE TO SUPPORT OUR CAMPAIGN
We need to print flyers and print signs, pay for website and mailing list hosting.
We also hope to fund drone photography to prove just how severe the traffic problem on the A6 is already, and demonstrate that this is true greenbelt countryside.
We can't fund everything needed as individuals, and we need your support to keep this campaign going.
If you feel you can make a donation, you can do so through our 'GoFundMe' page. Every little helps.
Thank you so much!
Public Opposition Meeting
Over 200 people attended the public meeting in Nov 2024 hosted by Neil O'Brien MP and Alicia Kearns MP to oppose government plans for this new town in our area. Here is the full recording of the meeting for those who couldn’t make it, or were unaware that this proposal is in danger of being imposed on us.
Join our list and receive updates on the campaign
Gallery
This is a very small sample of what we would lose.
©Stop The New Town, All Rights Reserved.
We are not affiliated with any political party.
Privacy Policy