A plan to build a works depot next to a hotel and restaurants on the outskirts of Ashby, goes before councillors again this month.

The application by the EG Group, wants to build a road related storage, maintenance and management facility next to the fuel station at Flagstaff Island.

But this would also be adjacent to the Brewers' Fayre restaurant and Premier Inn hotel and opposite the McDonald's restaurants.

The scheme was set to be given the go ahead in November before councillors asked for it to be deferred.

Now, North West Leicestershire District Council's planning committee will meet on January 11 to discuss additional information provided by the applicant.

A council officer's report says: "Since the early November Committee meeting, the applicant has gone away and updated his swept path analysis plan to make it easier for the committee to see that a heavy goods vehicle can access and turn safely within the site. 

"The Leicestershire County Council Highways Authority (LHA) were reconsulted on the newly submitted plan and have confirmed as previously advised, in its view, the impacts of the development on highway safety would not be unacceptable, and when considered cumulatively with other developments, the impacts on the road network would not be severe. 

"As such, they did not raise any additional issues and have confirmed again that they have no objections to the development subject to conditions relating to site accesses/visibility splays and parking/manoeuvring areas. 

"Given these conditions were previously requested by highways and therefore formed part of the recommended conditions list, there are no changes to the proposed recommended highways conditions for the development."

The report also clarifies the street scene of the planned development.

It adds: "Following the comments made at the 1st of November meeting, the applicant has submitted details of the finished floor levels of the building and also a street scene plan showing the land levels and the height of the proposed building in comparison to the other surrounding structures and the proposed new landscaping screen for the site. 

"It is considered that the proposal would be acceptable. The new drawing shows the hotel is approximately 5m higher than the proposed unit due to it being sited on a higher ground level with the proposed landscaping being slightly shorter in height than the proposed building. 

"The Planning Inspector mentioned specifically the relationship of the building that was previously refused permission on this site with the buildings on the adjacent petrol station site, and in particular the HGV petrol forecourt canopy. 

The Premier Inn and Brewers' Fayre would be close to the new development. Photo: Ashby Nub News

"The applicant has provided this detail and it is not considered that the proposed building will have a dominating effect and will not be out of keeping with the existing visual appearance of the site and its surroundings. 

"During the reconsultation period two of the initial objectors to the scheme submitted additional representations. One solely submitted a mock-up of the proposal, which is not to scale and as such, Officers cannot verify the accuracy of the representation and weight cannot be afforded to it."

"Another letter of representations reaffirmed concerns already raised during previous communications, as such, it isn't considered further assessment of the additional representations is required over and above that as detailed within the Officer report. 

"Given the above, the Officer recommendation for the proposal remains the same and there are no changes to the proposed recommended conditions for the development."

Objections to the plans have described the proposed design as 'ugly' and 'harmful to local businesses' - while concerns have also been raised about the amount of extra HGV traffic in the area.