Plans for new Spa homescould be hit by safety fears

An application for the dwellings - at the former Deans Foods site in Kirkby Lane - has been submitted by Hockley Homes Ltd to East Lindsey District Council, who will make a final decision.

Parish councillors discussed the scheme at their monthly meeting.

Several councillors praised the attractive design of the proposed dwellings but said they were worried the proposed access was close to a dangerous bend on Kirkby Lane.

Coun Marcus Williams said an increasing number of cars and lorries used the lane which was hardly wide enough for two vehicles, while Coun Andy Hunter suggested traffic calming measures should be put in place to slow vehicles down.

In a letter written to ELDC, the parish council says: “It is felt that the location of the site is not fundamentally safe because the entrance to the site is located on a dangerous bend.

“The road is narrow and regularly used by HGVs which makes it currently dangerous for cars to navigate, so having a housing development at this location with vehicles exiting the site onto a bend will make the road even more dangerous.

“The Parish Council would support this application if the developer could come up with a way of providing a safe vehicular access onto Kirkby Lane and safe pedestrian access to the current pavement near the cemetery. The current proposed access is not safe and is therefore unacceptable.”

Councillors also said they were worried the proposed site would lead to an extension of the village in an undeveloped area.

The letter adds: “The Parish Council is also concerned that the site may be granted outline permission and then the land is sold to another developer who builds dwellings of a less attractive design, less energy efficient and not in keeping with the area.”

District councillor Craig Leyland said he could not support the application because of highways issues and the fact it would lead to an extension of the village boundary. He stressed there were more suitable sites to meet demand.