Evidence base and supporting studies

We list our evidence base documents below in categories, alphabetical within each category.

Due to the complex nature of the content of these documents, they may not be accessible on all devices. Should you require a document in any other format, including audio, larger print or an alternative language, please contact the Policy and Regeneration Team on 01455 238141.

Development plan, monitoring and procedure

• Authority Monitoring Report (AMR)
  The AMR provides information on the delivery of the Local Development Scheme (LDS) and the extent to which policies in Local Plan 2006 to 2026 documents are being achieved during the period 1 April to 31 March each year.
• Brownfield Register
  The Brownfield Land Register is a list of previously developed sites that may be suitable for residential development or are already under construction for residential development.
• Housing Trajectory and Five-Year Housing Land Supply (Monitoring and land availability)
  An annual housing trajectory details past housing performance and projects future housing performance over the course of the plan period (2006 to 2026).
• Local Development Scheme
  The programme and timescales for preparing our local plan are set out in the Local Development Scheme (LDS). The LDS explains how the documents that form the local plan fit together and the key stages for their preparation and management.
• Local Plan (adopted) 2006-2026
  This link will take you to the landing page of the current adopted Local Plan.
• Local Plan Review 2024-2045
  This link will take you to the landing page of all-things Local Plan Review, including the various consultation stages and the supporting documents that supported those consultations.
• Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDPs)
  A neighbourhood plan is a new way of enabling local communities to determine the future of the area they live and work in. It is the opportunity for local communities to take planning into their own hands for their local area. Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council has many groups working towards a neighbourhood plan.
• Residential and Employment Land Availability Monitoring Statements
  The Residential and Employment Land Availability statements seek to identify the housing and employment land supply in the borough including allocations, commitments and take-up.
• Settlement Hierarchy Review 2021
• Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) 2024
  The SCI sets out the standards to which the council will engage and consult the public and other stakeholders during the production of the Local Plan, as well as when dealing with planning applications.
• Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping 2017 and 2020
  An appraisal of the economic, environmental and social effects of the Local Plan from the outset of the preparation process, to allow decisions to be made that accord with sustainable development.
• Sustainability Appraisal (SA) past consultations
  Development plans such as Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council's emerging Local Plan are subject to a process called sustainability appraisal. The sustainability appraisal assesses the potential social, environmental and economic effects of the plan's proposals. This link takes you to four documents relating to the Sustainability Appraisal.
• Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping 2024
• Sustainability Appraisal (SA) Scoping Report: update October 2025

Leicester & Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan and latest evidence

• Strategic Growth Plan (SPG)
  The Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan puts forward proposals for future development, including housing provision that will be needed to support population change, meet housing needs and support economic growth from now until 2050.
• Housing & Economic Needs Assessment 2022
• Updated Housing Distribution Paper 2025 (llstrategicgrowthplan.org.uk)

Housing

• Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)
• Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Study 2016
  The primary objective for the 2016 assessment is to provide a robust evaluation of current and future needs for gypsy, traveller and travelling showpeople accommodation in Hinckley and Bosworth.
• Housing Needs Study 2019
  Now-superseded Housing Needs Study which set out previous evidence on the type, size and tenure of housing needed in the borough to 2036, including the need for affordable housing.
• Housing Needs Study 2024
  This Housing Needs Study sets out the latest evidence on housing needs in the borough.
• Rural Housing Numbers Methodology Statement 2021
• Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register
  This act places a duty on local authorities to keep a register of individuals and associations of individuals who wish to acquire serviced plots of land to bring forward self-build and custom house-building projects, to enable us to incorporate the need for such plots into the Local Plan process.
• Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA)
  The Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment is an assessment of potential development sites across the borough, submitted through the Call for Sites. The study is produced to support the delivery of sufficient land and potential development sites in suitable locations.

Infrastructure and transport 

• Earl Shilton and Barwell Strategic Urban Extensions Infrastructure Study 2023
• Hinckley Town Centre Strategic Development Transport Contributions SPD
• Infrastructure Capacity Study (ICS)
  • ICS Phase 1 2020 - provides the baseline context for existing infrastructure capacity
  • ICS Phase 2 2024 - provides an overview of infrastructure constraints and future infrastructure requirements across the borough
  • ICS Phase 2 Addendum Note 2025 - provides an update on changes following the ICS Phase 2 to understand the infrastructure implications of additional development.​​

Natural environment and energy

• Agricultural Land Study 2020 
  This study reviews the agricultural quality of land across the borough.
• Green Infrastructure Strategy 2020
  The Green Infrastructure Strategy looks at the network of green spaces, pathways, bridleways and wildlife corridors, how they link our towns and villages and how we can improve these connections for the benefit of wildlife and recreation.
• Green Wedge Review 2020
  A green wedge is the open area around and between parts of settlements, which maintain the distinction between the countryside and built-up areas, prevent the merging of adjacent places and can also provide recreational opportunities. The Green Wedge Review assesses the two existing green wedges within the borough known as Rothley Brook Meadow Green Wedge and Hinckley/Barwell/Earl Shilton/Burbage Green Wedge.
• Green Wedge Allocations Topic Paper 2012
  The Green Wedge Allocations Topic Paper assesses areas which were put forward through various means to establish if they could warrant green wedge status and identifies whether they should be designated as a green wedge.
• Green Wedge Review 2025: Rothley Brook 
  This Green Wedge review assesses the Rothley Brook Green Wedge only to support the production of the Local Plan, and help in the determination of applications within this Green Wedge.
• Habitat Survey 2020
  An extended phase one habitat survey has been completed to identify the significance and value of habitats and areas of biodiversity interest within the identified sites.
• Habitat Survey 2025
  To aid the preparation of the Local Plan, a habitat survey has been completed to identify the significance and value of habitats and areas of biodiversity interest within the identified sites. Includes Appendices A and B.
  • Habitat Survey 2025 Appendix C
• Open Space Assessment Report 2025
  This Open Space Assessment Report is an update to the 2016 report. It assesses open spaces within the borough by parish and includes an assessment of quality, quantity and accessibility. The document also outlines how the document should be used by Development Management when determining planning applications and planning policy recommendations.
• Renewable Energy Capacity Study 2014
• The Renewable Energy Capacity Study examines the potential for the deployment of renewable energy and low carbon technologies within the borough.
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) 2025
  The SFRA considers all sources and the extent of flooding across the borough of Hinckley and Bosworth.
• Water Cycle Study 2024
  • Part 1 - Sections 1 to 7
  • Part 2 - Sections 8 to 13
    The Joint Water Cycle Study was collaboratively commissioned by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Blaby District Council, Harborough District Council, and Oadby and Wigston Borough Council. The study evaluates the impact of planned development on water resources and wastewater infrastructure across the study area. It identifies existing and potential constraints, and outlines the necessary upgrades required to ensure sufficient water supply and effective wastewater treatment for future growth. Additionally, the study considers environmental implications, including water quality and usage, and proposes potential solutions to address these challenges.

Community, recreation, leisure and tourism

• Community, Cultural and Tourism Facilities Review 2013
  The Community, Cultural and Tourism Facilities Review provides: An up-to-date and relevant evidence base about the community, and how culture and tourism is provided within the urban and rural areas of the borough.
• District, Local and Neighbourhood Centre Review 2015
  The District, Local and Neighbourhood Centre Review is a document that identifies how local shopping is provided within the borough.
• Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) 2025
  An assessment of the provision and quality of existing playing pitch facilities in the borough - across the sports of hockey, football, rugby, tennis, bowls and golf (some of which are beyond the normal scope of playing pitch strategy).
• Ratby Village Design Statement 2011
• Retail Capacity Study 2007
  The Retail Capacity Study 2007 provides an evidence base on the capacity for additional retail development (and, to a lesser extent, commercial leisure as well as office sector uses) in forthcoming years.
• Rural Needs SPD 2011
• Shopping & Shop Fronts SPD 2007

Healthy place making and design 

• Approach to Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Paper 2024
• Areas of Separation Review 2012
  An 'area of separation' is to retain the physical separation between settlements and/or other development areas. The Areas of Separation Review 2012 examines the six areas of separation in the Hinckley & Bosworth Local Plan 2001, and the seven areas of separation that were proposed through consultations with members of the public and borough and parish councillors.
• Burbage Village Design Statement 2006
• The Good Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document 2020
  The Good Design Guide SPD aspires to substantially raise design quality in the borough of Hinckley and Bosworth whilst ensuring that the local identity and heritage of the borough is enhanced by providing a guide for all those involved in the planning process.
• Internal Space Standards Report 2021
  An assessment on internal space standards in residential properties in Hinckley & Bosworth, to provide evidence on need to support the introduction of the Nationally Described Space Standards (NDSS) in the Hinckley and Bosworth Local Plan.
• Land South of Station Road, Market Bosworth Consultation Masterplan SPD 2021
  The Land South of Station Road, Market Bosworth is an allocated mixed use development site, this is the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) supporting that development.
• Landscape Character Assessment 2017
  Landscape Character Assessment is a process by which to define what makes one area of landscape distinct or different from another. The character areas cover the whole borough including rural (landscape) character areas and settlements (urban) character areas.
• Landscape Sensitivity Study 2017
  The Landscape Sensitivity Study 2017 is a supplementary document to the Landscape Character Assessment. It identifies:
  • Key sensitivities in each assessment area
  • How to achieve best integration of built development in each area

Employment and town centres

• Employment Land Review 2024
  • Employment Land Review appendices 1-2 and 4-7
  • Employment Land Review appendix 3
  • Employment Land Review appendix 8
• Economic Regeneration Strategy 2021-2025
  Sets out the vision and aims for ensuring the borough as a whole prospers from economic development. A detailed action plan aligning to the strategy's key objectives is in place.
• Hinckley Town Centre Public Realm Strategy Masterplan 2021
  The public realm is shared spaces such as streets and parks, and these play an important role in ensuring a town centre has a positive and thriving environment. This document sets clear ambitions for improvements to the public realm within the town centre of Hinckley. Exciting individual projects are identified within the document with funding sources for their delivery suggested. These projects will be developed further by council officers and other stakeholders, including public consultation, before their delivery.
• Hinckley Town Centre Wayfinding Strategy 2022
  The Wayfinding Strategy seeks to improve the experiential quality of being in and moving through Hinckley town centre. It will help residents, visitors and shoppers feel safe, comfortable and confident in knowing where they are and being able to efficiently identify and then get to their chosen destination. 
• Hinckley & Bosworth Town and District Centres Study 2017
  The Town and District Centres Study 2017 provides a clear strategy for its network of town and district centres to ensure that they remain attractive, vibrant centres over the course of the plan period.
• Hinckley Town Centre Strategic Vision
  Development of the strategic vision, published in 2025, has consisted of: reviewing the current position, activities and opportunities for the town centre, consulting with key stakeholders and relevant council officers, creating a vision for Hinckley town centre, identifying the themes required to enable this vision, considering what a successful town centre will look like, considering how this can support key policies of the emerging Local Plan and subsequent policies and proposals for the town centre, and development of the strategic vision.

Last updated: 22/01/2026, 16:34