A further 1,200 homes could be built on the outskirts of Ashby - where hundreds of properties are already under construction.

Ashby's Money Hill has long been slated for development, with a number of planning applications already being given the go-ahead for the site.

In 2023, North West Leicestershire District Council approved a scheme for 605 homes and a car park at the site.

A further 153 homes were approved in 2018, preceded by 70 homes in 2016.

Ultimately, the land is earmarked for more than 2,000 homes in the authority's local plan – a document which sets out where developments can be built in an area.

This latest scheme, put forward by Taylor Wimpey and Bloor Homes, is in the early stages with the developers describing the plan as "still emerging", so details thus far are sparse.

The plan emerged after the two developers asked the district council whether an environmental impact assessment (EIA) needed to be submitted when it puts in an application for permission to build the 1,200 homes.

An EIA sets out whether a proposed project is likely to have significant effects on the environment, and if it does, what can be done to mitigate them.

The two companies' documents revealed that five parcels of farmland next to the A511 are being eyed-up for the sprawling development.

Residents have been invited to attend public consultation sessions later this month.

Plans show Phase Two of the new Money Hill development. Image: Supplied

In addition to up to 1,200 new homes, the site in question would also host up to 8.4 hectares of employment land, according to the documents.

The Money Hill scheme has long proved controversial locally, with fears that the size of the development will harm the character of the town of Ashby.

Added congestion on the roads, the loss of countryside and the lack of employment opportunities in the area have also been raised as concerns by objectors.

The developers will need to submit further applications to the council for consideration before work can begin on the new development, subject to planning approval. These will include details on highways infrastructure, landscaping, the final number and mix of homes proposed and what the developers plan to do to mitigate any impact of the scheme on Ashby and the surrounding areas.