In the absence of a signed Planning Obligation, the proposal fails to deliver an appropriate level of affordable housing and contributions towards sustainable travel, ecology, education, libraries, civic amenity, local community facilities, health care, open space and play provision that are necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms. The proposals would be contrary to Policies CS3, CS13, CS15, CS17 and CS24 of the Charnwood Local Plan 2011-2028, Core Strategy (2015) and adopted Housing Supplementary Planning Document (2017) and Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations.

The development would result in unwarranted harm to the character and appearance of the adjacent landscape, which falls within the Charnwood Forest. The site forms an integral part of the open, sloping landform rising towards the high ground to the south of the town, and where the present development on the edge of the settlement is low key and fragmented in longer views from public viewpoints. Notwithstanding the mitigation proposed, the proposed development would significantly break the skyline as seen from various locations on approach to and within the town and have a damaging impact on the intrinsic beauty of the countryside in that it would introduce an uncharacteristically intensive form of development which would be severely out of character with the rural character of the edge of the settlement when viewed from the southern entry to the town. It would severely curtail the open rural aspect and views of the countryside from Iveshead Lane and Iveshead Road. From these locations the open character of the landscape is very evident looking over the Charnwood Forest landscape to the south where the site forms a locally prominent open horizon where landscape features and trees also exhibit characteristics of Charnwood Forest. As such the proposed development would conflict with the provisions of saved policies CS11 and CS2 of the Core Strategy (2011) and saved policies CT/2 and EV/1 of the Borough of Charnwood Local Plan (2004) which are reflected by the guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Borough Council is of the view that the adverse impacts on the character of the landscape would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the modest housing land supply benefit.