Council warns of ‘unacceptable behaviour’ at controversial Hayes Gardens consultation events

A Leicestershire council has warned it will not tolerate “any form of abuse, threats or physical aggression” towards staff or councilors after holding consultation events for the controversial Hayes Gardens housing scheme. In an email to residents, Blaby District Council said the events had attracted more than 500 comments and that it had received valuable feedback.

It said the consultation events “were largely successful and constructive, with most participants being respectful and looking for productive conversations”. But he added: “It was disappointing that a small minority displayed unacceptable behaviour. We must emphasize that any form of abuse, threats or physical aggression towards our recruitment team, advisors or staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

The proposals, if they go ahead, would see 800 homes built on a former golf course between Narborough and Enderby. These should be included in the council’s Local Plan, which sets out where development can and cannot take place, and the plan should then be approved by the Government’s planning inspectorate before any planning application for the scheme can be approved.

READ MORE: ‘We need an NHS with two zeros’: Leicestershire voter gives his general election priorities

The total area of ​​the Hayes Gardens site is 141 acres. To put that into perspective, that’s roughly the size of nearly 80 large football fields.

The proposals note that the land being considered for development is south-west of Leicester, west of the M1 and south of the M69. It is owned by Santander and Blaby District Council and includes Carlton Park and Enderby Golf Course. The vision is for “energy-efficient, sustainable homes that could include renewable energy sources.”

In its email, Blaby District Council said: “The scheme provides an opportunity to create a vibrant community with green space and highly sought-after affordable housing, contributing significantly to the needs of local people by creating new homes, meeting at the same time our planning obligation. delivering 687 new homes a year by 2036.”

Blaby District Council will seek Local Plan approval from the Government inspectorate at the end of 2025. It will then be adopted by the council in March 2026. The proposals can be found by searching for ‘Hayes Gardens’.