Builders told to halt housing scheme over 'breaches'

Developers have been ordered to halt work on a new housing development in Sapcote after council bosses said they breached planning conditions.

Blaby District Council said it had issued a temporary stop notice to William Davis Homes requiring it to down tools on an 80-home scheme, in Leicester Road, for 56 days.

The authority said the firm had started the work before complying with several environmental conditions attached to the planning permission.

The firm said it acknowledged the notice and subsequently stopped work at the site.

Council planners said the breaches included failures to create a plan to safeguard badgers, identify biodiversity protection zones, devise a construction traffic management plan and detail measures to minimise any impact on ground and surface waters.

They said the firm had ignored 10 conditions and started groundworks at the site earlier this month.

The authority said the company was now required to meet the conditions before it could restart work.

Mike Shirley, portfolio holder for planning, strategic growth and environment, said: "We take breaches of planning conditions extremely seriously and these are significant breaches of important conditions affecting wildlife, landscaping, flooding and responsible transport management.

"We hope this temporary stop notice will prompt William Davis to create the appropriate plans and present them to us, ensuring the development is managed in an environmentally responsible way."

The council warned the firm faced court action and a fine if it did not comply with the stop notice.

A spokesperson for William Davis Homes said: "We have duly temporarily ceased works as per the notice requirements.

"Having already submitted the required reports and drawings to Blaby District Council relating to the pre-commencement conditions, we are working closely with the council to discharge them as quickly as possible.

"We take our environmental responsibilities seriously and remain committed to delivering the development in accordance with the approved planning framework and all regulatory requirements."

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