North Thoresby new homes plans deferred

East Lindsey District Council ‘s planning committee on Thursday voted to defer Cyden Homes’ plans for 198 homes on land off Ludborough Road in a bid to get more clarity on footpath and highway links to the new estate.

Steven Ibbotson, speaking on behalf of Cyden Homes, told councillors that the scheme could not be considered dense and that the housing was “much-needed”.

“We recognise that the application actually has created significant local interest, which is understandable and we fully accept your due process today,” he said.

“You’re planning officers presented the full report which shows principles of development is acceptable.”

However, the proposals saw objection from the parish council, 164 neighbours and ward councillors.

Concerns mainly revolved around whether the development was the right size, how the local network would be affected and the environmental impacts along with comments around flooding and infrastructure.

Objectors feared the development was cut-off from the rest of the village, though the developers argued at the meeting there would be provision of a footpath and road to and from Ludborough Road through provided via a S106 agreement.

They said there was more of a need for bungalows for residents to downsize to, while there were also fears any new children moving in would be unsafe while travelling to and from school.

George Krawiec, speaking on behalf of the North Thorseby Working Group, said: “The objections put forward are not NIMBY objections.

“Everybody recognises that this site has an allocation in the local plan and [that] is not disputed, but we would like members to be aware of the various objections.”

North Thorseby Parish Councillor Councillor Heather Howard said the authority had supported housing in the local plan, but said it needed to be “sympathetic” to the village.

“We did not envisage a development increase in the size of the village by up to 700 bedrooms and potentially adding 70 percent of our population,” she said.

“We have a thriving Village Square in North Thursby which is at the heart of a vibrant community,” she added.

“It is a big concern that this development has been designed as a separate entity to the main village and is isolated.

“The proposal is an estrate backing onto our existing village with no integration or connectivity.”

Despite calls to reject the plans from some councillors, Councillor Stephen Eyre suggested more work could be done, including conversations between the developer and residents.

“I think this is nearly home and dry, but I think that good could be done by them knocking the heads together and having a bit of a natter and coming back to this committee.”

He suggested more thought could be given to bungalows on the site and the connectivity of the development.