Leicester Council's Green Plan: Homes or Wildlife?

0:00It's April 10th. From your city to your ears, this is Lester News today, powered by AI. Lester City Council just greenlit a massive local plan to build over 20,000 homes across the city and it's stirring up serious heat among residents. The plan, years in the works, target spots like the Old Western Park Golf Course, shut down back in 2015 for more than 400 houses, some industrial buildings, and even a site for gypsies and travelers. That golf course spot had been kept as a protected green wedge to stop urban sprawl, staying open for walks and buzzing with wildlife. Now developers can move forward, though they'll need separate permissions, and the council insists some areas stay green with a push for biodiversity, gains. Locals are calling it an absolute travesty and an eco-disaster. Folks like Steve Walters from the Action Group say the city is bulldozing beautiful green lungs surrounded by motorways, overriding eco-polices for. Housing and jobs. Walters who've used it for decades, dog owners, and retirees lean on it for mental health and peace, losing it hits businesses and daily escapes hard.

1:09The deputy mayor gets the pushback, saying tough calls were needed for housing and growth after five consultations and government inspector nods. They promise 44% of the site stays or gets enhanced as public green space, keeping key trees and woods with more resident input on. Details ahead. As this plays out, residents feel their voices got steamrolled in a so-called democracy, but the plan rolls on watch for those future applications too. See if green promises hold up.