The Cabinet of North West Leicestershire Council met on Thursday 11 June 2026 to discuss the proposed North West Leicestershire Local Plan (Regulation 19). The meeting agenda also included the confirmation of previous minutes.

Proposed North West Leicestershire Local Plan (Regulation 19)

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the Proposed North West Leicestershire Local Plan, presented by Councillor Nicholas Rushton, the Infrastructure Portfolio Holder. This report detailed the plan's progression towards consultation under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, with the aim of subsequently submitting it for examination.

The report outlined the extensive evidence base that has informed the Local Plan, including:

• Sustainability Appraisal (SA): An iterative process assessing the plan's components against 17 sustainability objectives covering social, environmental, and economic themes. This included evaluating spatial strategies, site allocations, and policies, as well as considering reasonable alternatives.
• Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA): This mandatory assessment evaluated the potential impact of the Local Plan on protected European sites, with a specific focus on the River Mease Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Improvements to wastewater treatment works at Packington and Measham Sewage Treatment Works were noted as mitigating impacts for most housing allocations within the catchment area. However, one allocation at Appleby Magna requires further mitigation to ensure nutrient neutrality.
• Transport Modelling: Jointly commissioned by the Council and Leicestershire County Council, this assessment evaluated the impact of proposed development on the highway network. The modelling indicated that a package of transport improvements, including upgrades around M1 J24, enhanced sustainable transport use, junction improvements, and strategic road network enhancements, would be sufficient to mitigate the impact of the proposed Local Plan allocations on the highway network by 2042.
• Viability Appraisal: This ongoing assessment by Aspinall Verdi evaluates the financial viability of the plan's policies and allocations, ensuring that development remains financially viable. The outcomes will inform decisions on the tenure mix and affordable housing requirements.
• Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP): A draft IDP, updated to incorporate new site allocations and evidence from other studies, was being refined. This plan identifies infrastructure required to support development and its likely costs.
• Housing and Strategic Warehousing Needs: New Statements of Common Ground were agreed, reflecting changes to the calculation of local housing need and updating the previous Statement of Common Ground for strategic warehousing. The housing requirement for North West Leicestershire was set at 690 dwellings per annum, equating to 12,420 homes over the plan period (2024-2042). The strategic warehousing apportionment identified significant floorspace needs in specific locations within North West Leicestershire.
• Gypsy and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople: An update to the 2022 assessment confirmed a reduced need for permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches and an unchanged need for Travelling Showpeople plots. The need for a transit site in Leicestershire was also noted.

The report detailed the structure of the Proposed 'Regulation 19' Local Plan, outlining its chapters from Introduction to Environment. It also presented a table of key policy changes made since previous committee reports, including amendments to housing and economic development needs, renewable energy policies, flood risk, and housing allocations.

The Cabinet was requested to agree the recommendations within the report, which included recommending to the Council that the Proposed Submission Draft Local Plan (Regulation 19) be approved for consultation. Delegated authority was also sought for the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Infrastructure, to make minor amendments to the Local Plan and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal before publication and submission to the Secretary of State.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The Cabinet was also scheduled to confirm the minutes of the previous Cabinet meeting held on 19 May 2026.