A new town of almost 6,000 homes is being considered for the East Midlands countryside.
North West Leicestershire District Council has been discussing the idea of creating the new settlement on a 1,000 acre site west of the village of Belton, between the M1 and A42.
The Belton site is the largest of 49 areas across the district now being suggested for building and has an estimated capacity to take 5,970 homes
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Officials have stressed they are at this stage just looking to get the most detailed picture of where building might take place in the long term and that no decisions or permission have been given.
Planning officers have been asking landowners in the district to propose potential sites for house building and employment use as they consider how to meet Government-set targets to supply land for development.
Chairman of Belton Parish Council Nicola Burbidge Mullen told LeicestershireLive: “We don’t have too many details about it at this stage but it would be a major development.
“At the moment we just have 350 homes in the whole parish.
“It will have implications for us and Osgathorpe and Shepshed and many other communities.”
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A further 224 acre site, off Ashby Road on the other side of the village, is also being put forward for possible development with a potential capacity to provide 1,365 homes.
The council has listed other significant newly identified sites in a report to be considered by councillor next week (Weds).
A 72 acre site off Richmond Road, south of Donington le Heath, near Coalville, which has the potential to provide 430 homes.
107 acres of land between Donington le Heath and Ellistown that could provide 654 homes
A 74 acre site at Shellbrook Farm, Norris Hill, near Ashby, where some 560 home could be built.
A potential mixed use development of 316 homes and businesses at Dingle Farm, at No Man’s Heath, near Measham, south of junction 11 of the A42.
All the sites will be added to the council’s strategic housing and economic land availability assessment (SHELAA) for consideration.
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A council spokesperson said: “It is important to reiterate that any decisions on whether a site will be allocated for future residential or economic development will be taken through the Local Plan review rather than the SHELAA – specifically the site assessment process.
“The inclusion of a site in the SHELAA does not indicate that the council supports development on a particular site.”