HORIBA MIRA South Site

Prior to 2022 Horiba MIRA (MIRA) had an allocation over some of the Caldecote land to expand their operation into, which residents were aware of.

Between March and Sept 2022, MIRA consulted with local residents. The proposed plan would see development into the allocated lands but also into an extra 42 acres of undesignated countryside surrounding Caldecote and residential homes, to accommodate additional manufacturing units and 1,000s of carparking spaces. There were opportunities to comment during the organised group and online consultation meetings - summarised here. Further, there were individual, face-to-face meetings for those residents who would be most directly affected by the development. The consultation would inform their planning application. 

Residents met and discussed the implications of the proposed designs and infrastructure requirements.  Concerns raised were around MIRA's deviation from the previously agreed development site, privacy of homes, blocking light from properties, managing traffic and road noise, allocation of wildlife habitat, conservation of the village and historical buildings, proposed redirection of public rights of way and introduction of new public paths. Some residents responded collectively, others individually with comments.

MIRA adjusted their proposed designs, having taken into consideration comments and have advised that some of the concerns could be raised again when individual building and landscaping designs are submitted as planning applications.

Some of the adjustments made included: stopping off of Weddington Lane and redirecting the A444 through their site, relocation of the proposed wildlife area, repositioning of a large unit, alternative route of public footpath and building size (though this may be further challenged).

Decision on this outline planning application is pending