The Masterplan

A central feature of the development will be the delivery of a new Community Hub, providing a flexible community space to bring residents together.

Feedback from the first stage of the public consultation highlighted the aspiration for further healthcare provision in Castle Donington, and this has been a key consideration in shaping the design of the Community Hub, ensuring that the facility can accommodate potential medical uses, such as a GP drop off facility. Smaller, complementary units have been identified for retail and food and beverage offerings, including a pub. Additionally the Community Hub will be home to a 90-place nursery and an 80-bed care home. Together, these uses would contribute to creating a vibrant, sustainable neighbourhood by providing services, facilities, and employment opportunities close to residents’ homes.

Two potential locations for the Community Hub have been proposed as part of the application. This has been done to allow flexibility in delivering community uses as the proposals come forward over time. The two possible locations are:

Option A: Option A locates the local centre and all supporting uses at the eastern gateway to the site, creating a strong sense of arrival and maximising visibility from the primary access. Clustering the mixed-use hub, care home and public house at this key gateway also provides opportunities for landmark buildings and high-quality public realm to reinforce the identity of the new neighbourhood. The location also provides convenient access from the wider movement network, supporting linked trips and ensuring community facilities are easily accessible to both existing and future residents.

Option B: Option B locates the local centre and its associated uses at the heart of the development, creating a central community hub that is easily accessible to residents. Positioned alongside key green infrastructure corridors and public open spaces, this arrangement strengthens the relationship between community facilities and the site’s landscape network, encouraging walking, social interaction, and active use of the public realm. This centrally located hub would provide a focal point for the new neighbourhood and help foster a strong sense of place.

A new two-form primary school will be delivered as part of the new neighbourhood, helping to provide much needed primary education facilities to support both new and existing families in Castle Donington. It will be located on the western side of the site, ensuring it is well separated from Foxbridge Primary School and brought forward at an appropriate stage of the development, potentially as part of a later phase if required.

Woodland planting will wrap around the school’s boundary to ensure privacy and protect the setting of nearby features, including Donington Hall and the neighbouring deer park. Lower density infrastructure for the school, such as sports pitches, has been designed to be located closest to Donington Hall. This attractive and tranquil setting creates an ideal environment for primary education, offering outdoor learning opportunities on the outskirts of the development.

An extensive network of pedestrian and cycling routes will be incorporated throughout the site, providing accessible and sustainable routes for residents to connect with the wider neighbourhood and existing facilities further afield. These routes will be set within extensive public open space, with facilities including children’s play areas and allotments.

Existing woodland, hedgerows, and trees will be retained where possible and supplemented by additional planting.

The masterplan has been designed to carefully consider the impact on existing and future travel arrangements for both existing and future residents. A new primary road will form a loop connecting the northern and southern parcels of the development. The existing middle section of Park Lane will be converted into a dedicated active travel route, creating a safe and sustainable corridor for pedestrians and cyclists to access the new primary school and the wider neighbourhood.

Access

Vehicular access along Park Lane, beyond the proposed new primary school on the western side of the site, will be maintained for residents and visitors to Donington Hall, Hastings House and other existing properties. This route will also be adapted within the development to accommodate larger vehicles where necessary.

The main access to the development will be from the roundabout linking the Castle Donington Relief Road to Park Lane, located on the eastern side of the site. This will be widened and moved northwards to meet current highways standards, providing convenient and direct connections to the A50 and M1, and enabling efficient access to and from North West Leicestershire and beyond. A traffic signal will be installed on the relief road at the new development access to ensure safe movement into and out of the site and help manage vehicle speeds along the road.

There will also be a secondary emergency access to West Meadow Rise, which will also serve as an active travel route out of the development.

Encouraging Active Travel

Public transport will be enhanced as part of the proposals, with a new bus service introduced early in the development, ensuring connectivity between the new neighbourhood, Castle Donington, and the wider area.

Park Lane
Park Lane will be rerouted onto a new road just north of the current one, avoiding the steep dip and mature trees along the existing lane. The new road will be wider, with room for two-way bus services, and gentler slopes so it’s easier to walk and cycle. Separate, lit paths for walking and cycling will sit away from the road, and a 30mph speed limit will apply. Few homes will have direct access onto it.

The existing Park Lane will stay in place as a route for people on foot and bicycle, keeping its rural lane character. Access to Donington Hall, Hastings House and other existing properties beyond the new primary school on the western side of the site will be maintained, and the route will be adapted within the development to accommodate larger vehicles where needed. The detailed design will continue to develop as the plans progress.

Park Lane roundabout
The main entrance to the development will be from the existing roundabout where the Castle Donington Relief Road meets Park Lane, on the eastern side of the site. This gives direct links to the A50 and M1 and on to North West Leicestershire and beyond. We’ll improve the junction for people walking and cycling, with:

• a new 3m-wide shared path on the western side of the roundabout

• new signal-controlled crossings on the relief road, north and south of the roundabout

• a wider Park Lane (west of the roundabout) with 3m-wide shared paths alongside

• updated crossing arrangements at the central island on Park Lane west