Residents plan a protest against a development that threatens Beaumont Park, a vital green space in Leicester.
People in Beaumont Leys might protest soon because they don’t want to lose Beaumont Park. A new development could concrete over this space, as the city wants to use it for new employment areas.
Leicester has a plan for future building called the local plan, which should protect people from bad development. However, some residents disagree with parts of it. The plan might use half of Beaumont Park to create space for jobs.
The plan also adds areas for travelers, and Hazel Orton, a councillor, plans a protest to save the park. Hazel said people are “horrified” to lose the park, which is their “last piece of greenery” and considers this very serious for everyone there.
That area is the poorest in Leicester, and the park helped a lot during lockdown, with many people using it daily. She thinks it is crazy to build units there and wants the park removed from the plan.
Last year, residents felt hopeful for a bit, as it seemed the park would not be built on. Other sites also looked safe from building, including homes near Thurcaston and planned homes off Billesdon Close, in addition to land north of Birstall Golf Course.
The council said they made a submission error then, and the sites were put back into the plan, as these sites could help meet housing needs. Officials knew about the sustainability issues but still kept those areas in the plan.
Inspectors checked the local plan for the council and said the site choices make sense, believing that losing green space can be managed. Hazel said the error was “so incompetent.” She said the council also said the sustainability problems were accurate, adding that people want the site gone for logical reasons and that realizing this was a mistake shocked them.
Building on the park worries people about wildlife, because badger homes exist in the park, Hazel stated, thinking harming them disregards wildlife. Residents suggest using Ashton Green for employment space, which would not harm their park, and Ashton Green will now have more employment land, increasing it to 15.9 hectares.
Leicester argues they need more space, saying the government sets high building targets and that to meet targets, all land needs reviewing. Sir Peter Soulsby suggests expanding city borders, noting that extra space would help with housing targets.
Labour councillors have said hard choices exist because they must meet Leicester’s future needs and plan for this. Elly Cutkelvin commented on providing land, stating that the city is tasked to deliver for housing and must provide areas for jobs and schools.
She knows the decisions are tricky, and the council wants to listen to communities. The protest will occur at Beaumont Park at 1pm on Saturday, March 15, meeting at the crossroads in the park center. Adjustments will be made to the local plan, and planners will address inspectors’ concerns.
The adjusted plan goes to another public review.