Our neighbourhood priorities are the things that people who live and work in our neighbourhood area feel are important. These are always evolving, and everyone can have their say.

These priorities will help shape our Neighbourhood Plan, which will influence planning decisions in or affecting our neighbourhood in the future. So please email us to let us know what YOU:

A. Want to preserve - what do you like now and don't want to lose?

B. Want to change - what facilities do we have already that you think could be improved?

C. Want to have happen here in future - what do we need/want in our neighbourhood that we don't already have?

In Spring 2023, a group of volunteers pulled together an Initial Priorities List. This highlighted four key areas of focus which are being taken forward through our working groups.

• Planning – housing
• We do need to reduce new building in Market Harborough as current level is unsustainable.
• Ensure that all new developments contribute to community infrastructure
• New builds and lack of infrastructure
• Over-population. Number of houses – in greenspaces
• Risk of housing developers not adhering to their agreements and obligations
• Opportunity to negotiate, increase and allocate funds from housing developments
• Gartree super-prison implications
• Litter especially round takeaways

For more information see the Built Environment page.

• Care in the Community – helping elderly to stay at home if they want to
• Encouraging new and existing residents to get more involved in the community
• Not happy with the atmosphere in town centre in the evenings. I very rarely go out in the evening. Needs policing.
• Is there a problem with drugs that needs tackling?
• Encourage opportunities for people to grow their own food
• Town centre is popular with tourists and has good reputation. Must keep it up and help shopping in the centre.
• Coordinated support for older people to live long and fulfilling lives
• Improve attractiveness and uniqueness of Market Harborough including quality and appropriate design
• Child welfare - Mental health - County lines drugs issues
• More leisure and cultural opportunities
• Support more people to live and work in Market Harborough ie less out-migrating(?)
• Places/activites for youngsters to meet – ref issues at Stevens Street allotments
• Support local entrepreneurship
• Drop-in 'hubs' for new parents/parents of very young children – close to home
• Market Harborough should have a Town Council to ensure democracy
• Improve Market Harborough and the district's reputation and attractiveness as a place to visit.
• Fragility of Town's commerce, businesses
• Primary Care (Health) services are inadequate (whole town issue)

For more information see the Community & Social page.

• The recycling mess
• The green belt should be protected
• Improved canal path to avoid footfall over all the open areas
• Green/open spaces (Development of Welland Park)
• A local accessible woodland
• Access to greenspaces for walking
• Care and management of greenspaces and creation of more
• Environment – air and water quality – open spaces – tree cover – litter
• More town centre trees
• Risk of flooding in town centre and localized
• Improve access to the countryside, footpaths and particular use and promotion of the canal and wharf
• Flooding paths in Logan Street recreation ground
• More habitats for biodiversity
• Lack of benches
• Improving park facilities
• Litter especially round takeaways
• Rat infestation around Coventry Road/Welland Park

For more information see the Environment (Green & Blue) page.

• Local Parking
• Parking in side streets – permits? Refuse collections can't get there.
• Cycle lanes
• Encouraging cycling and walking
• Dangerous corner parking
• Traffic calming
• Speeding
• Speeding and speed limit on Coventry Road
• Traffic congestion
• Cycling/walking networks that are safe
• Traffic volume (whole town issue)
• Traffic through town
• Public transport that would make cars from town centre practical
• Local bus routes for shopping
• Too much traffic – how do we manage issue of workers parking in residential areas?
• Lack of safe cycle lanes
• Parking issues on Fairfield Road
• Safe usable cycle lanes
• Speed limits on side streets enforced 20mph
• Improved access along pavements for disability scooters, buggies, wheelchairs etc
• Safe routes to school/shops/GP etc for families living on Greenacres Traveller sites

For more information see the Transport page.