Scraptoft Hall

If you have a view on this or any of the current issues affecting Scraptoft Parish, please have your say at the next Council meeting (see 'Meetings Calendar') or send an email to scraptoftpc@googlemail.com

Public Inquiry dates
The Public Inquiry into the Scraptoft Hall redevlopment plans is to take place over four days at Harborough District Council Offices, starting on Tuesday October 6th at 10 a.m. People wanting to be called as witnesses to the Inquiry must present themselves at the start for consideration.

Secretary of State overturns Scraptoft Hall redevelopment plans

Following a request from English Heritage, the Secretary of State has ordered Harborough District Council to overturn its decision of 3.02.09 to approve redevelopment plans for Scraptoft Hall. There is clearly much more discussion to take place and the Parish Council is trying to follow events through the good offices of Mr Simon Galton. It looks likely that there will be a lengthy delay before any kind of decision is reached. There may even be a public enquiry.

In the meantime, the Hall's condition has worsened yet again and the consensus at the Parish Council meeting on 1.04.09 was that it is likely to collapse or be destroyed as the weather warms up. The problem is persistent vandalism, which is in itself a threat to life and limb owing to the dangerous state of the structure.

Scraptoft Hall Redevelopment approved 3.02.09

Harborough District Council have approved the plans to redevelop Scraptoft Hall as a retirement village. There will be several new buildings added to the existing Hall and outbuildings to create 103 apartments for the elderly.

The story leading up to the HDC announcement...

A special meeting was convened by the parish council on Monday 22nd December 2008. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and vote upon the revised planning application for Scraptoft Hall. Planning Officers and Developers were in attendance.

The neglected condition of Scraptoft Hall is giving everyone in the village cause for great concern. It has become a target for vandalism, anti-social behaviour and illegal activity. At the well-attended Parish Council meeting on Wednesday November 4th, 2008, Harborough District Councillor Simon Galton updated everybody on the current plans.

As we know, AMK Planning are proposing to convert Scraptoft Hall and associated stables and outbuildings to apartments for the over 55's which would include sheltered housing but also offer additional levels of care and support. A detailed outline is attached below.

The AMK proposal is not without its own issues. Residents of Beeby Road, in particular, object to the height of the proposed new buildings which would border their gardens. The Council resolved to request the latest plans to review this. However, everybody agreed that the AMK proposal is an appropriate use for the Hall.

Everybody, that is, except English Heritage, who are blocking the proposal because it involves new buildings in the surrounding grounds. In their view, the Hall alone should be restored and no additional buildings added. This is clearly not viable financially and so there is a stalemate. In the meantime, the Hall continues to deteriorate badly, and speculation is rife that it could be destroyed altogether.

Simon Galton suggested to the meeting that one way forwards would be for the Council to give permission for the surrounding buildings to be erected. Once that happened, English Heritage would be faced with a 'fait accompli' and forced to support renovation of the Hall itself. This plan has its risks too - EH could take it all the way to a government enquiry - but it seems like the only possible solution.

This is a highly important and emotive issue for the village. Please express your view to the Council via email or in person at the next meeting!