We are used to seeing homes in the conservation area undergoing changes to the fabric of the buildings with extensions, remodelling and other building works taking place. Often these changes are made when a new owner takes up residence to provide modern facilities where they are deemed to be either inadequate or lacking from the original design. An obvious example is the provision of a new kitchen which is often seen as the centre of family life now, but in the late 19th century was a place inhabited only by domestic staff. We all want to live in comfortable homes with access to modern amenities, and there can be times when the aspiration of a homeowner conflicts with the requirements of maintaining the characteristics of the conservation area. If only some new homes could be built.
Land for the development of new homes in Stoneygate is almost unheard of, but there is a significant site on Ratcliffe Road which was recently granted planning permission by Leicester City Council. We can now look forward to seeing 96 new homes built here over the next few years.
The land was owned by Leicester University which built blocks of flats in the 1960s to house its growing student population. These were not of a very high quality and over the years became less popular with students as a lack of amenities led to further decline, and the flats became difficult to let. The site was eventually mothballed.
Nearly 7 years ago, developers Addlington Retirement Living acquired the site and made their first unsuccessful application to replace the old halls of residences. The design was for a residential apartment complex, “with care” in a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom properties. It has taken a long time to find an acceptable design which will provide modern homes while not creating an adverse impact on the conservation area. The developers have made efforts to engage with residents, design experts and also including SCAS which has been welcome. With planning granted we will all be interested to see how the building work proceeds.
You can be certain that we will be taking a keen interest on the development as it progresses and reporting on the issues here and through our members newsletters. For those members wishing to remind themselves of the history of the planning applications, full details are contained in the newsletter published in December 2024, when the whole of the Planning Matters page was devoted to the story.
A copy of the plans and planning documents are available to view via the City council’s planning portal or check out the report in the local press here