The Melton Council Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday 25 September 2025 to discuss planning applications for a solar farm in Pickwell and a residential development in Burton Lazars. The committee will also review the minutes from their meeting on 28 August 2025.

Land at Melton Road, Burton Lazars

The committee will be considering an outline application for the erection of up to 175 dwellings, as well as public open space, landscaping and drainage infrastructure, on land adjacent to Childs Cottage, Melton Road, Burton Lazars.

The application, reference 15/00127/OUT, seeks outline planning permission with access, while all other matters are reserved.

The planning report notes that the application site forms part of the Melton South Sustainable Neighbourhood (MSSN), as defined within the adopted Melton Local Plan under policy SS4. The report states:

As the application site is allocated within the adopted Local Plan, the development is acceptable in principle in accordance with policies SS1, SS2 and SS4 of the adopted Melton Local Plan, is in a highly sustainable location and will contribute positively toward the delivery of identified housing need within the Borough.

The application site is the first phase of the remaining allocated land, with three other relevant planning applications currently being considered which make up the rest of the remaining MSSN allocation. The first two applications have been submitted by Davidsons Developments, the first is an outline application for the full eastern extent of the MSSN, including this site and the delivery of the eastern section of the southern Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (MMDR) (reference 16/00515/OUT) and the second is a detailed application for a Link Road between Leicester Road and Kirby Lane (reference 24/00529/FUL), this is the first western section of the southern MMDR.

The third relevant application has been submitted by Bloor Homes for the western extent the MSSN (reference 25/00209/OUT). These applications collectively cover the remaining elements of the allocated MSSN, that are not already permitted.

According to the planning report, contributions have been sought towards infrastructure requirements arising from the development. Following the assessment and consideration of consultee requirements, a viability appraisal was provided by the applicant showing that, based on the amounts sought, the development would be unviable. It has been agreed that 7.5% affordable housing will be provided on site, and the available contributions will be focused on education provision to mitigate the impacts of the development, and this will be secured through a Section 106 agreement¹. The planning officer's report recommends that the planning application be approved subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement.

Land at Stygate Lane, Pickwell

The Planning Committee will be considering application 24/01038/FUL for a ground mounted photovoltaic solar farm with a capacity of up to 49.99MW, together with associated equipment, infrastructure, and ancillary works, at Land at Stygate Lane, Pickwell.

This application was previously deferred to enable the Committee to seek greater clarity on how the application aligns or conflicts with individual policies, especially where these policies are central to the decision, those polices are:

• Somerby Neighbourhood Plan
  • Objectives
    • OBJ6: Protect and enhance the natural environment.
    • OBJ7: Protect and enhance the character of the parish.
    • OBJ8: Protect and enhance biodiversity.
    • OBJ11: Protect and enhance footpaths and bridleways,
    • OBJ13: Support renewable energy where appropriate.
  • Policies
    • ENV2 Protection of sites and features of environmental significance
    • ENV7 Settlement Character
    • ENV8 Local Landscape Character Areas
    • ENV13 Footpaths and Bridleways
    • ENV15 Renewable Energy Generation Infrastructure
• Melton Local Plan Policy
  • Policy EN6: Settlement Character
  • Criterion (i) Contribute positively to the individual character of a settlement.

The planning report notes that the application delivers very substantial public benefits, including:

• Renewable energy generation (49.9 MW – enough to power 25,175 homes).
• Biodiversity net gain.
• Public access and health benefits including permissive paths, beekeeping, dog agility.
• Rural economic diversification, and use of land for grazing.
• 2 x Electric vehicle charging points free of charge for 40 years.

The report also notes limited and mitigated harms, including:

• Landscape and visual impacts (substantial but localised)
• Minor heritage impacts (less than substantial and outweighed by benefits).
• Temporary loss of arable land (mitigated by grazing and restoration).

The planning officer's report recommends that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.