Public asked for opinions on 2,100 homes being built in Rutland
The Council's said changes will have to be made to schools and healthcare to accommodate the numbers
Rutland County Council's launched a public consultation period on its draft local plan to build 2,100 new homes in Oakham and near Stamford by 2041.
It's the only chance people will have to share their opinions on the proposed sites, before the consultation period closes on January 8th 2024.
The draft local plan has already been met with backlash by campaigners from the Protect Quarry Farm group, who protested outside a Rutland County Council meeting last month.
Schools and healthcare 'will have to be looked at'
Policy Holder for the Local Plan, Cllr Paul Browne, confirmed that local infrastructure - including schools and healthcare - will be looked at to accommodate the developments.
'Primary care health is one aspect, the question of schooling as well. There's vacancies in most of our schools currently but with the increasing numbers as they come, those schools will have to be developed. As will the basic infrastructure, such as the drains and sewers.'
He added that the developments will mainly impact Oakham and Uppingham:
'The rest of the county is made up of small and beautiful villages. We wish to keep the identity and character of this unique area. So yes, it will be in the towns and we must look at the infrastructure within those two towns.'
'We don't need these houses but we're told we've got to do it'
Cllr Browne said the county 'didn't need' any more homes, but the council must work with the Government to avoid developments being built wherever:
'We don't want these houses necessarily but I'm afraid we're obliged to build because, if we don't, we don't achieve what is called a five year housing supply.'
'That means Government inspectors will allow development wherever, including open countryside, and we can't have that.'
He added that the Council had made it clear in the draft local plan that smaller, more affordable housing is preferred:
'At one stage recently, we had the largest number of four-bedroom houses coming forward in applications in the country. We want to have more three-bedroom, two-bedroom and smaller units.'
'The law will only allow us to do so much in that direction and we've taken that as far as we can do in the proposals.'