More calls to stop housing plan for former Billinghay school site

The council’s planning committee met last night (Monday, August 15) to discuss proposals to build 16 homes on the former site of the now closed Lafford High School.

Already an extra 550 additional houses are planned for the village as part of the Central Lincolnshire Plan and residents feel further housing will put a strain on facilities in the village.

Last night, at the public meeting, parish councillors put together further evidence which they will submit to North Kesteven District Council to stress the need to keep the Lafford site, on Fen Road, for community use and development of local facilities.

Coun Kathryn Locke, chairman of the Billinghay Community Plan and Vice Chairman of Billinghay Parish Council, said: “The view is that the Lafford site should be used for the community. It could be used for a new village hall, expansion for the medical centre or a gym.

“With more housing planned in the LAP (Local Area Plan) for Greenfield sites, we want to keep this ‘brown’ site for the community. The medical centre needs to expand and the school is having to lose its library to make space for a new classroom. We feel the site should be central for the community and we are preparing a big box of evidence we will submit to the (district) council.”

Plans for the Lafford site will be available for the public to view at the Billinghay Community Plan meeting tomorrow (Wednesday August 17) at 7pm at the Coach and Horses.

People have until Tuesday (August 23) to submit their comments to North Kesteven District Council on the plans for the site. They can do this by visiting www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/planningonline and searching ref no: 16/0819/OUT or by emailing planning@n-kesteven.gov.uk and quoting the planning reference number.