26/08/2026
PLANNING UPDATE – 470-HOME LAGAN HOMES APPLICATION
Thank you to everyone who attended last night’s Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council Planning Committee meeting regarding the proposed development of up to 470 homes in Ratby.
We had a fantastic turnout from Ratby residents, who filled the public gallery. It was important that the Planning Committee could see just how strongly our community feels about the future of the village.
Councillor Boothby spoke eloquently about the application as a member of the Planning Committee, raising a number of the concerns shared by Ratby.
Councillor Ozzy O’Shea joined the meeting remotely from Spain and spoke passionately on behalf of Ratby. Representatives of Ratby Parish Council and local residents also addressed the committee and put forward the concerns of the village.
Under the meeting rules, speaking time was extremely limited. Ratby Parish Council was given just two minutes, residents were given five minutes collectively, and Councillor O’Shea was also limited to two minutes.
The committee also heard from Sarah Marsh, representing Lagan Homes, who was given two minutes. She told the meeting that Lagan Homes has proposed approximately £7.9 million, together with land, towards Leicestershire County Council to provide a new primary school, and that approximately 17 hectares of green space would be transferred to Ratby Parish Council. This proposed green space includes part of the existing Burroughs Recreation Ground.
Ed Stacey, from the HBBC planning officer team, explained how officers had assessed the application and whether the identified harm would substantially outweigh the benefits. Officers concluded that, in their assessment, the benefits of the development outweighed the harm, and therefore recommended to the Planning Committee to approve this application.
Members of the Planning Committee did, however, raise some important questions and concerns.
These included the proposal for only 5% of the 470 homes to be affordable housing, the loss of more than half of the Burroughs Recreation Ground despite it having served the community as recreational space for around a century, and whether replacement green space and play provision located further away from the centre of Ratby would genuinely compensate existing residents for what would be lost.
During the discussion, Mr Stacey referred to there being an element of “give and take” within the proposals.
Perhaps one of the clearest messages to come from the debate was the frustration expressed by a number of Planning Committee members about the wider planning system. Several councillors spoke about the pressure created by Government housing targets, the rules under which planning decisions have to be made, and the need to be realistic about which applications the Planning Committee can refuse and successfully defend.
Planning Committee voted to approve the outline planning application.
It is important to stress that this is OUTLINE planning permission. This does not mean that the final detailed plans for 470 homes have now been approved or that construction can simply begin immediately.
There will be further stages in the planning process, including the detailed matters that will determine exactly what the development looks like and how it is delivered.
Ratby Parish Council will continue to represent the interests of the village throughout those stages, scrutinise the proposals as they progress and push for the best possible outcome for both existing and future residents.
Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who attended, spoke, submitted objections, contacted representatives or otherwise made their voice heard. Whatever the outcome of last night’s vote, the strength of feeling in Ratby was impossible to miss.
We will keep residents updated as the application progresses.
