Decision expected on Rasen caravan site plans

The proposed caravan site, at Belmont, between Market Rasen Racecourse and Market Rasen Golf Club, was marked for approval by the planning officer, but the council’s planning site shows the scheme has had mixed responses.

Market Rasen Town Council asked for the application to be ‘called in’ – the process by which an application is considered by the planning committee, rather than the decision be made by a planning officer only – and Coun Neil Taylor spoke against the application at the previous planning committee meeting.

He drew the committee’s attention to the report the town council had submitted which highlighted key considerations, including precedence, ecology, environment, roads, landscaping, views and sustainable development.

There were three further registered objectors who either spoke at the meeting or had their statements read out.

Echoing the town council’s concerns, Lyndsey Horstwood also added mention of a previous refused application, where traffic access, the countryside area, character harm and vehicle access to local amenities were given as reasons for refusal.

She said: “This [application] would be worse, as that refused application was for 50 properties.”

There were also a number of people registered in favour of the application.

Among them were Allan and Pauline Tench, who said they had no objection in principle to the scheme, adding: “It seems a very good idea for the town.”

In her statement, Carol King said it would be “an asset to Market Rasen and other business, for the planning application to be approved”.

With such a large number of registered speakers and planning committee members also having a number of questions and comments, it was agreed to defer the decision to allow for a site meeting to take place to ‘better understand’ the location and layout, and to review the access points to the site.

Tonight’s meeting is available to view live at 6.30pm on the council’s webcast page: west-lindsey.public-i.tv