Proposals to close Blaby Golf Centre and build up to 200 homes on the site have been rejected.
Blaby District Council planning committee members have refused an outline application for the housing scheme from Hallam Land Management.
Officers had recommended the scheme be refused and the application had generated more than 1,700 objections from the public.
In their report officers said while the development would provide much-needed housing the loss of 16 hectares of Green Wedge was “considered to be inherently harmful.”
They said proposals to relocate other popular and well-used businesses at the centre, including a dance school, gym, taxi rank, boutique and beauty salon were not adequate.
Councillor Lee Breckon, chairman of the planning committee, said: “Refusing a planning application is a decision we do not take lightly. We have a responsibility to ensure a sufficient housing supply and under national guidelines are generally required to approve new schemes.
“However, in this case we agreed with officers that the scheme would be harmful to the local area rather than beneficial. Our main concerns were the loss of Green Wedge as well as the loss of premises for several small businesses in the local area. We felt the overall harms posed by the scheme were strong enough for us to reject the application.”
