Residents can find out more about plans to build over 1,300 new homes in Market Harborough at a drop-in event today Harborough District Council is hosting it at the Symington Building between 2pm and 7pm as it continues to consult on its draft Local Plan The document maps out preferred sites for nearly 6,500 new homes across the district over the next 15 years new schools and other community infrastructure Land identified for new housing to the north of Market Harborough The new homes in Market Harborough are earmarked for land to the north of the town with sites off Leicester Road stretching towards Great Bowden and south of Gallow Field Road A replacement Showground is also included in the blueprint Further drop-in events will be held next week at Broughton Astley Village Hall on April 7th between 4pm and 8pm and at Kibworth Grammar School Hall on April 9th between 3pm and 7pm grants and donations to enable us to continue to provide the service Your donation would be greatly appreciated ALL CONTENT © COPYRIGHT HARBOROUGH FM 2007 – 2024 People whose homes were flooded across Harborough earlier this year can now apply for financial support Harborough District Council has launched a support scheme worth nearly £40,000 to assist residents with on-going clean-up costs The authority agreed to step-in to offer one-off grants to eligible residents whose homes suffered internal flooding after the government confirmed it would not providing financial support to those affected A home flooded in Great Glen on January 6th Over 70 properties were flooded in the district on January 6th – the majority in Great Glen and Broughton Astley Cllr Phil Knowles is leader of the council and told HFM about the funding being made available: You can find out more and apply to the fund HERE A big clean-up is underway after major flooding across the Harborough district yesterday Great Glen and Broughton Astley were the worst areas affected with several residential and businesses properties flooded Some residents have been forced to leave their homes due to the scale of the damage and have been placed in temporary accommodation Nick Cooper and his young family had to leave their home in Broughton Astley: the level of the River Sence through the village reached a record high of 3.8 metres yesterday morning with a brook leading to it bursting its banks Cimi Kazazi owns The Italian Greyhound restaurant in village which was severely flooded and is now closed until further notice he made national news yesterday for wading through waste-deep water to rescue a woman trapped in her car outside: Great Glen villager Donna Barnett and her son Curtis spent seven hours directing traffic to stop drivers heading towards the flooded areas: People are rallying round to support those affected Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council, has written an open letter of support to residents in Great Glen and Broughton Astley – read it HERE Firefighters rescue stranded drivers from Crow Mills Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service became the first fire and rescue service to declare a ‘major incident’ in response to widespread flooding across Leicester the service has responded to 380 calls and attended 56 flooding incidents Judi Beresford has praised the work of crews and control room staff and is urging people to continue following safety advice such as avoiding flooded areas and not driving through flood water: Sites for over 6,400 new homes across Harborough have been revealed after the District Council published its draft Local Plan Major developments include over 1,300 houses on land to the north of Market Harborough Provision for new secondary and primary schools community infrastructure and a replacement Showground are also included in the plan for the town Over 1,000 homes are planned for land at Stretton Hall near Great Glen and a similar amount near Scraptoft while 475 houses are earmarked for Kibworth 105 in Husbands Bosworth and 150 in Fleckney 63 in Billesdon and 80 in Ullesthorpe have also been identified The plan – which also identifies new employment sites – maps out development for the next 16 years and is set to support the delivery of 657 homes per year until 2036 and then just over 530 until 2041 The government issued increased housing requirements for all councils in December and if the council does not publish its local plan for consultation by mid-March the district will have to accommodate more new homes Harborough MP Neil O’Brien has been critical of the plan-making process and spoke to HFM: a spokesperson said: “Harborough District Council has worked hard to meet national requirements and follow the Government’s prescribed process for local plan making “If Cabinet recommends the draft local plan to Council Council will consider on 3 March 2025 whether to approve the draft local plan for an eight-week public consultation “If councillors approve the draft local plan for public consultation then that process will provide communities and those with an interest an opportunity to respond indicating whether they consider the plan is sound and legally compliant (and where not suggest any required changes) “A series of public events will be held across the district so interested parties can find out more about the draft local plan and how to formally respond “It will be important that the community do take the opportunity to respond during the period provided for public consultation so that as many views as possible are fed into shaping the final draft of the local plan “The council will then consider those responses when deciding whether to send the draft local plan to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination later in the year “Decisions made by the Council at the end of 2023 around progression of the local plan and ensuring adequate resources to do this quickly have enabled the council to develop the plan under December 2023 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) This means the requirement for new homes in the district is around 2,000 fewer than would have been the case under the Government’s new December 2024 planning policy framework “It is important to understand that the process for producing the local plan is a statutory process that is governed by national legislation The council is duty-bound to follow that specified process The process the council has followed in preparing the new draft local plan to this point is in accordance with this nationally established prescribed process.” Hundreds of decorated tractors will take to the streets of South Leicestershire tomorrow as the popular Archers Festive Tractor Run returns Farmers from across Harborough and further afield will join the Christmas convoy which will leave Lutterworth at 4.30pm and visit several towns and villages before returning to the town The event has raised over £150,000 for charity since launching in 2020 with crowds lining the streets to watch the tractors pass-by This year it will raise funds for Leicestershire’s LOROS Hospice Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution & The Farms Safety Foundation Organiser Ryan Archer told HFM it has become a magical event for the community: You can donate online here or alternatively text TRACTORS followed by your donation amount to 70580 Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message There are calls for urgent talks after serious flooding across the Harborough District yesterday Great Glen and Broughton Astley were the worst affected areas with several homes and businesses flooded and some residents forced to leave their homes Harborough MP Neil O’Brien is demanding a meeting with Leicestershire County Council – the lead flood authority – and the Environment Agency saying ‘immediate action’ needs to be taken to prevent a repeat of what happened A driver was rescued by a restaurant owner during the flooding in Great Glen Harborough District Council leader Phil Knowles is also calling for a meeting with the agencies responsible for flood prevention adding his thoughts are with all those impacted He said: “We will be calling for a partner meeting as a matter of urgency to understand what lessons can be learnt “We also need to explore in detail the utilisation of available investment funds by partners that might play a significant part in this for the future “I would suggest that members of parliament be invited to attend so that any available national investment can also be investigated “I’m quite happy that Harborough District Council host and facilitate the meeting as long as we can get all parties together as quickly as is possible.” Cllr Rani Mahal is the ward member for Great Glen and has backed the calls for talks: The Environment Agency says its officers would be ‘very happy’ to meet all parties involved and a full review is carried out after such wide-scale flooding incidents A spokesperson said: “We understand the distress that flooding causes and we sympathise with all those affected “We are currently responding to a large-scale flooding incident and our staff are working a rota system 24/7 to protect people from flooding “As we move into the recovery phase we will work closely with partners to understand the sources of flooding from this event and how we can best support communities going forwards “We are urging people to make sure they are signed up for flood warnings and alerts.” The River Sence reached its highest recorded level in Great Glen yesterday cabinet member of highways and transport at Leicestershire County Council said: “We sympathise with anyone who has suffered damage to their property during the most recent flooding “A significant amount of rainfall fell last night and with already saturated ground this has led to unprecedented flooding across the county with the issue being worsened by the effects of climate change as we see more frequent flood events we are working hard with partner agencies on their investigations so we can coordinate responses and take action where we can “Flooding can happen at any time of year and we urge residents to be prepared for any flood incidents that may occur.” Harborough District Council is set to offer financial support totalling nearly £40,000 after the government confirmed it would not be supporting residents affected by flooding Over 70 properties across the district suffered internal flooding on January 6th the majority in Great Glen and Broughton Astley They were among over 700 affected across Leicestershire which prompted calls for the government to activate a scheme to help with clean-up costs it has deemed the flooding was not significant enough to do so The council is now set to step-in and subject to its budget being approved will make one-off payments of £500 available to anyone in the Harborough district whose homes suffered internal flooding The government’s Flood Recovery Framework was triggered last year when flooding hit parts of Leicestershire Northamptonshire and other parts of the country It provided grants of £500 to help households with immediate clean-up costs council tax relief for at least 3 months and the opportunity to apply for up to £5,000 to help make homes more resilient to future flooding Harborough MP Neil O’Brien has criticised the government for failing to open up the scheme again and spoke to HFM: Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “Flooding is devastating for those affected and we hope that people can get back on with their lives as soon as possible “We know that local authorities are working hard to provide support and we are working with them to understand the impacts on communities “The Flood Recovery Framework has not been triggered for recent winter weather and flooding Department for Business and Trade and Environment Agency colleagues to understand the impacts on communities households and businesses and stand ready to advise Ministers as these become clearer.” A warning has been issued after candles started a fire at a house in Broughton Astley Two fire crews tackled the blaze in the kitchen of the property in Harvest Way after being called at 6pm yesterday Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service say candles left unattended started the fire A spokesperson told HFM: “Candles and tea lights can make a home cosier in the darker months “Make sure they are secured properly do not burn several candles close together and keep them away from materials that may catch fire “Remember to extinguish candles when you leave a room ensure they are put out completely at night and always kept away from children and pets.” Fire crews from Lutterworth and Southern Fire and Rescue Stations attended the fire and used breathing apparatus thermal imaging and one hose reel to extinguish it You can now have your say on plans for where new developments are set to go across Harborough over the next 16 years The district council has launched an eight-week public consultation on its draft local plan which maps out preferred sites for housing estates schools and other community infrastructure The plan includes over 1,300 new homes being built to the north of Market Harborough and over 1,000 homes are planned for land at Stretton Hall near Great Glen Residents can comment via the council’s website and at a series of in-person events which will take place across the district A final decision on taking the plan forward will not be made until all the feedback is analysed is encouraging people to take part in the consultation: You can read the full draft local plan and share feedback at: www.harborough.gov.uk/localplan Residents and businesses can contact the planning team by email planningpolicy@harborough.gov.uk or telephone 01858 821160 if they have any questions People can also contact the council on this number if they do not have access to the internet to read the plan or require the information in an alternative format or language The consultation will run until 9am on Tuesday 6 May 2025 dates and times of the in-person events are as follows: Harborough’s MP has called on the government to provide cash to support residents and business owners hit by flooding earlier this month Over 70 properties in the district were affected on January 6th with Great Glen and Broughton Astley being the worst-hit areas Neil O’Brien met residents & business owners who properties were flooded in Great Glen giving grants of up to £5,000 to people affected Councils across Leicestershire and Rutland have also called on money to be made available Neil O’Brien has raised the matter in the House of Commons with Communities Minister Alex Norris who said the matter was being looked at ‘very closely’: Harborough District Council has joined others authorities across Leicestershire and Rutland in pressing the government to release cash to help flood-hit residents At least 48 properties were flooded in the Harborough District with many residents having to leave their homes and businesses forced to shut A hard-hitting letter – signed by the leaders of each district and borough council – has been sent to Minister for Water and Flooding Emma Hardy MP – stressing the devastating impact on residents and businesses It says: “This is the second year in a row where hundreds of residents are left homeless and local pubs sports clubs and others do not know if they will be able to survive “Many are cleaning up after just getting on their feet after Storm Henk battered the area just 12 months ago “Residents sought shelter and support a in emergency rest centres many with just the clothes they were wearing “The right thing is for Government to release funding now and activate the Flood Recovery Framework to help them survive and get back to some kind of normality.” Police have issued an alert after attempts were made to dupe pensioners out of money through a scam known as ‘courier fraud’ They were phoned up by someone claiming to be an officer from the Leicestershire force investigating fraud on their accounts and requested bank details Luckily the potential victims – including a woman aged in her 70s from Broughton Astley – did not disclose anything and ended the call She was contacted by a person claiming to be a police officer called John Spencer who said officers had arrested someone in Birmingham because her bank card had been used at a shop in the city The incidents are being investigated by Leicestershire Police’s Economic Crime Unit (ECU) and anyone who has received a similar call is asked to get in touch from the ECU said: “Those committing courier fraud try to prey on the elderly and vulnerable They attempt to sound genuine and work quickly to gain the trust of the person they are calling “The police would never contact you and ask you to withdraw money If you need to contact your bank following a call please try to use a different line as fraudsters can stay on the line even after you have hung up “Thankfully on each of these three occasions the person who was contacted became suspicious of what they were being told and refused to engage further I’d encourage our communities to speak to one another to ensure no-one falls victim to such a crime Please speak to anyone you know who is elderly or vulnerable to ensure they are aware too.” A weekend of Remembrance events in and around Market Harborough began with over 900 students paying tribute to the fallen A special service was held at Welland Park Academy yesterday guides and cadet organisations donning their uniforms for the poignant event Last post by the head student team.PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER Welland Park School remembrance service.PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER the Royal British Legion will lead a short service beside the WW1 Memorial Portico at Rosewood Manor Care Home on Coventry Road a Service of Remembrance will be held in St Dionysius Church at 10am followed by a parade to The Square where the Act Of Remembrance and a two-minute silence will take place at 11am and a contingent of Armed Forces veterans from across the local area Temporary road closures will be in place in and around the High Street as the parade makes its way to the church and from there to The Square Chairman of the Market Harborough RBL hopes people will gather on The Square: with far right Sam Askham assistant principal.PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER Armed Forces Champion for Harborough District Council said: “Making these tributes is the least we can do as a council to honour our war heroes “We are indebted to our Armed Forces and we must never lose sight of the sacrifices they have made for the freedoms we enjoy in our everyday lives.” Remembrance Sunday events are also taking in place in many towns and villages Standard bearers lower the flags during the last post at the Welland Park Academy ServicePICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER Blakemore Retail has opened a new SPAR store in the village of Broughton Astley has been developed to meet the needs of A.F Blakemore’s ‘Big Basket’ store cluster with an emphasis on serving customers shopping for food for now and food for later Tango Ice Blast machine and F'real milkshake machine Customers can also treat themselves to Dunkin’ Donuts or a Costa coffee There is a large range of fresh chilled produce the store gave out free goody bags packed with SPAR products to the first 100 customers Golden tickets were also awarded to the first 200 customers who spent £10 or more and a colouring competition was run for children Blakemore Retail Managing Director Matt Teague commented: “Sales in the first week are ahead of forecast at £35,000 There has been nothing but positive feedback from customers “Whilst many colleagues across the business – from Design & Shopfitting to Logistics and IT – have played a significant part in the store development particular recognition needs to go to Area Manager Mark Paddison Regional Manager Ruth Mutton and Store Manager Tracey and her team who worked around the clock to get the store ready for opening Megan and the team at Bannerbrook have supported the team along with Hayley from Raunds and Lorna Lovell supporting Greggs “Thank you also to Retail IT Implementation Manager Sam Tomlinson Retail IT Operations Manager Jonathon Johns and Retail Trainers Wesley Cherry and Maria Hart for their technical support.” The store features Blakemore Retail’s fourth Retail Suite installation The Broughton Astley launch has created 20 jobs for the local community and takes Blakemore Retail’s total number of stores across England and Wales to 268.  Check out a few photos of the store:  Back to news January value at only £1.25 available from SPAR Donations Worth £65,000 Awarded to Good Causes at Christmas SPAR Alsager Relaunches with New Food to Go Police are questioning three people after a man was stabbed at a pub in Broughton Astley on Saturday night The victim was taken to hospital with injuries described as not life threatening following the attack just before 10.15pm at the premises on Coventry Road 19 and 20 were arrested yesterday on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent Detectives say the pub was busy at the time and are keen to hear from any witnesses who they have not yet spoken to said: “While I am pleased to confirm three people have been arrested our enquiries into the incident are continuing today and from what we know there were a number of people in the pub at the time “We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who witnessed this incident who has not yet spoken to police no matter how insignificant you think it is You can pass on information by visiting https://www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ and quoting reference 22*678786 The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Police believe a man who has died after a collision at a petrol station in Broughton Astley yesterday was struck by his own car Enquiries suggest the unoccupied Mazda CX5 began to roll away from the pump at the Gulf station on Main Street and the man was hit as he attempted to stop it He was taken to hospital with serious injuries but later died It happened just before 3.45pm and a spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said: “Enquiries are continuing into the incident and anyone who may have witnessed what happened and hasn’t as yet contacted police is urged to get in touch.” The area of Main Street outside the petrol station was closed for several hours while an investigation into the collision was carried out Anyone with information should call Police on 101 quoting 21*522686 Tributes are being paid to former Harborough District councillor Bill Liquorish who has died aged 82 He dedicated nearly 50 years to public service most recently representing the Primethorpe and Sutton Ward in Broughton Astley for 24 years before standing down at this year’s local elections was also a member of Leicestershire County Council for 16 years and served time as Chairman of both councils His career in local politics began in 1974 with Whetstone Parish Council which he also served on for over 20 years and was also a Magistrate in Leicestershire for 26 years Mr Liquorish was the first chairman of governors at Badgerbrook Primary School in Whetstone and a former governor of Thomas Estley College in Broughton Astley A minute’s silence was held in memory of him at the recent Harborough District Council full council meeting Cllr Paul Dann is a district councillor in Broughton Astley and was a close-friend of Mr Liquorish Paying tribute he described him as a ‘community champion’ who always had the areas he represented at heart: Work will take place to deal with persistent flooding in parts of Market Harborough Leicestershire County Council has approved plans totalling tens of thousands of pounds and is now working on the detailed designs for the flood alleviation schemes Timing for the works is still to be confirmed Work will take place on Northampton Road in Market Harborough A Leicestershire manufacturer of conveyors access platforms and robotics and automation is facing an uncertain future has posted a notice of intention (NOI) to appointment administrators through law firm Shoosmiths The NOI protects Sapcote Engineering from any creditor action for a period of around ten days while the company attempts to find a way forward The company has been trading for over 50 years and as established in 1971 Sapcote is part of the i3 Group of companies after it was bought in 2021 Earlier this year i3 invested £750,000 in a factory refurbishment at the Broughton Astley factory following a £1.2m order win by Sapcote A statement from i3 at the time said: “With the support and investment from i3 Group Solutions Sapcote Engineering is well-positioned to continue its growth trajectory and deliver advanced manufacturing solutions to its clients “The combination of the upgraded facilities and the expertise of their team ensures that Sapcote Engineering remains at the forefront of the industry providing innovative and reliable factory production systems.” BT is proposing to remove a number of phone boxes across the HFM region Lutterworth and Welford are among those set to go Not a single call has been been made from some of the payphones during the past year communities are being invited to purchase them for a pound and convert them into a community asset once the phone is taken out A BT spokesperson told Hfm: “Most people now have a mobile phone and calls made from our public telephones have fallen by around 90 per cent in the past decade We consider a number of factors before consulting on the removal of payphones including whether others are available nearby and usage We are consulting with District Councils on the removals providing the community the chance to comment on our proposals “As part of the consultation we are also offering communities the chance to adopt traditional red ‘heritage’ phone boxes for just £1 through our Adopt a Kiosk scheme and transform them into something inspirational for their local area.”