Controversial retrospective plans for a biomass boiler at a Spalding care home have finally been passed after being described as “not bad enough” for refusal by a leading planner.
The boiler installation at Cedar Falls Care Home, run by Tanglewood, was finally given retrospective planning permission by South Holland District Council last week.
Its flue will need to be repainted and moved away from neighbours to hug the side of the care home within three months as a result of the acceptance.
Local residents, including those from Westminster Drive, whose properties backed on the property, complained over its look and over concerns of the smoke output.
A representative from the council’s Environmental Health department said: “At no time have we detected smell or seen smoke from the boiler.”
Despite ward councillor Jack Mclean calling the boiler “an eye-sore none of us would want near our properties”, and concerns from a number of councillors, it was voted through.
Coun Bryan Alcock said: “A number of us are uncomfortable with it because of its location. It’s in the most insensitive place you could possibly imagine on the site but we realise that we are struggling under the present policies and regulations to find a reason to refuse it.”
Planning chair Coun Roger Gambba-Jones responded: “I understand and emphasise with that, but in strict planning terms, as we often say, it’s not bad enough.
“That’s often the case these days with the way they’ve skewed the planning system.”
