'˜The site is not suitable' - Planners refuse 480 homes plan in Louth

Plans to build 480 homes off land in Brackenborough Road, Louth has been rejected today by the district council's planning committee.

Metacre Ltd submitted the outline planning permission for 480 dwellings on land off Brackenborough Road.

Even with the additional prospects of a new primary school, widened roads down Brackenborough Road, an access road to the Industrial Estate and the possibility of extra buses was still not enough to outweigh the high volume of opposition.

Speaking at the meeting, resident Amanda Young explained that the plans would have had a massive negative impact on the area, increase traffic and expressed safety concerns for pedestrians.

She said “The nearby junctions in the area are already extremely dangerous, with cars parked both sides.

“An added school would cause even more traffic, putting extra strain on an already struggling road network.”

Alexis De Pol, of Metacre’s planning consultants, De Pol Associates also spoke at the meeting defending the plans, expressing that there were no ‘technical grounds’ in which to refuse the houses.

He said: “The local plan is currently out of date, so district housing needs can’t be secured.

“Louth is appropriate for housing development and the loss of landscape would be made up by the added benefits of the public open space the plans included as well as an added primary school.”

Councillors at the meeting condemned the plans due to its sheer size.

Councillor Helen Matthews reiterated the fact that developers Taylor Wimpey are currently building 148 homes on land off Fulmar Drive and two lots of additional housing plans of 129 and 55 respectively have been allocated in the local plan. Coun Terry Alridge added that the site was just simply ‘not suitable’ for this type of development.

In total, 11 councillors voted to reject the plans, with one abstention.

Developers do have the right to appeal the decision, but it is not yet known if they will.