Wragby reacts to 32-home proposal

The comments come after East Lindsey District Council published proposals for its long-awaited Local Plan, which includes 32 homes on land at Thornlea, behind Wragby’s Louth 
Road.

Wragby parish clerk Steve Wallace said: “The parish council is very concerned about the impact on infrastructure within the village - the school, surgery, 
drainage.

“It’s currently something the parish council is very mindful of.

“There’s a lot of pressure being put on East Lindsey [council] by central government - because homes are 
required.

“We know it’s going to happen, we can’t stick our heads in the sand, but certain investments need to be 
made.

“The school is at bursting point, the doctor’s surgery is struggling for availability of GPs, with a shortage county-wide - and with an ageing population we need more resources in the surgery.”

And Mr Wallace added: “Approving homes doesn’t always translate into actual buildings - it’s a huge step to actually have a piece of land, then build on it and have houses there and people living in them.”

The Local Plan will cover all development, including housing, in the area for the next 15 years.

In a report presented to ELDC’s planning policy committee on April 14, officers outlined the allocation proposals for each specific community.

Committee members were told inland towns and villages would have to cope with more homes because of a ban on building developments in coastal areas due to fears of flooding.

The 400-page report stated: “The site is a house and garden with grassed land at the 
rear.

“Development would not impact on the wider landscape because the site is presently screened from the road by the existing house and garden landscaping.

“The site would form a natural extension to the built environment and lies within the main body of the village. There would be no impact on the historic 
environment.

“The site is close to services and facilities with a footpath along Louth Road, the vehicle access already exists and it is proposed to demolish the existing property which has no significant historical value, this will allow better access into the rear.”

Publication of the Local Plan comes along with a warning that ELDC needs to complete the process as quickly as possible.

ELDC is one of 62 councils in the country that has so far failed to deliver on what is a Whitehall requirement

Committee chairman Coun Richard Fry told the planning policy committee meeting: “There are time constraints - If we don’t do it, someone will come in 
and do it for us.”

The plan still has to be ratified by full council, at a date yet to be decided, before an independent government inspector has the 
final say.

In all, it says the district must incorporate over 7,000 new homes - including developments that already 
have planning permission.

The plan provides pointers to how the district needs to develop across a spectrum of activities from employment to house-building up to 
2031.