New homes plans go on display

One concerned homeowner said she was considering moving.

The proposals for the Sleaford West site include up to 1,400 houses, a care home, a 350-place primary school and 720-space secondary education facility, employment land, a local centre comprising shops, health centre, community centre, hotel, pub/restaurant, public open spaces and sports pitches.

It is proposed for land east of the A15 and west of The Drove, Stokes Drive, St Deny’s Avenue and Covel Road in Sleaford.

North Kesteven District Council hosted a display of the submitted application at The Source, in Sleaford on Thursday, when around 75 members of the public turned up to find out more.

This application is for one of two Sustainable Urban Extensions proposed for Sleaford as part of the strategy to deliver more than 4,400 new houses, additional employment land and infrastructure improvements to the town over the next 20 years in line with the emerging Central Lincolnshire Local Plan and the adopted Sleaford Masterplan.

Residents were particularly concerned about the impact of traffic on Lincoln Road from the first phase of 200 homes to be built, connected to St Deny’s Avenue and Stokes Drive. This, say the consortium of landowners who have been invited by NKDC to get behind the application, would then fund a new £3 million roundabout access to the rest of the development off the A15. However these first 200 homes would not later link up to the new access. Instead, council traffic modelling has estimated an up to 75 per cent increase in traffic on the quiet cul-sacs, plus the impact of construction traffic.

Alicia Hardman said she had moved to Stokes Drive for its quiet setting. “For us, this is a bit of a game changer,” she said. “I live at the very end of Stokes Drive. My immediate concern is for construction traffic on a narrow road past our house.”

She estimated an extra 400 cars passing by as a real concern, adding to congestion on Lincoln Road up to the roundabouts. She said she would be compelled to move home.

David Billingham lives at the bottom of St Denys’ Avenue, next to the proposed link to the new estate.

He said: “That new roundabout should be put in before they think about building any more houses. It is already constant traffic up to Holdingham. Why do we have to suffer? It is a nice, quiet area.”

Principal planner for NKDC Nick Feltham said the county council has carried out traffic modelling to identify potential areas of congestion which can then be improved. He said it is very difficult to require developers to put forward large amounts of money in advance of housing being sold.

He said the NHS were earmarking this site as the area for an extra health centre and funding from developers was being gathered. Measures can be put in place to legally ensure all community services are provided and traffic modellers are confident all the growth could be accommodated. They will look at what points these provisions are triggered by the development.

Deadline for representations to be made is Thursday, June 23.