Councillors have refused permission for the development of up to 100 homes next to businesses including Crowland Cranes.
South Holland’s planning committee said it had insufficient information “to enable a clear conclusion to be drawn on the acceptability of residential development being permitted in such close proximity to the existing businesses and vacant allocated employment land directly to the west of the site”.
There were fears future residents may complain about nuisance from the businesses after moving in.
Wheatley Homes’ application for land at Harvester Way was just one of a string of proposals for homes in that part of Crowland. Calls are being made for improvements to a road junction before more housing is built.
Some parish and district council representatives have called for motorists on Peterborough Road to be given priority over those on James Road, which is used as a cut-through to avoid queues on the A16 at peak times, but highways officials have indicated the work is unlikely to be imminent.
Crowland Parish Council vice-chairman Cathi Elphee said: “The parish council is concerned that if all of these applications go ahead without consideration to the road layout in this area, then the traffic congestion at peak times will only get worse.
“Therefore approval to construct the extra housing should not proceed until the Peterborough Road/James Road junction is thoroughly investigated and improved to give priority to traffic exiting from Peterborough Road.”
Lincolnshire County Council highways officials commented on the issue in the Wheatley Homes application, saying: “It may be possible that there is sufficient highway land available at the Peterborough Road/James Road junction to reverse the priorities to favour Peterborough Road over James Road but to do so would require considerable engineering work.
“The cost of that work would be significantly disproportionate to the financial return on the development of up to 100 dwellings.”
A developer has permission for 50 homes on land off Peterborough Road. Other pending applications include approximately 41 homes between Crease Drove and Beccelm Drive and a proposal for up to 50 homes on the Adcocks Drinks Company site.
