Controversial plans to build 150 homes in Weston have gone through at the second attempt.
Last September, Persimmon Homes was refused permission for the development north west of High Road.
But after the developer removed the private drives part of its plan, South Holland District Council’s Planning Committee voted through the proposal last night (Wednesday, March 9).
It’s subject to the signing of a section 106 agreement which is to include 25.3 per cent affordable homes, £661,928 for education, £99,000 to the NHS and £108.000 to Weston Parish Council.
The latter joined 10 residents in objecting to the proposal.
Its chair Chris Dicks told the Planning Committee: “This development would take the number of new homes in Weston to 375. Our infrastructure can not take this number.
“We have a classic example of a developer trying to squeeze too many homes on to this site.
“While we support new houses in the village it should be on a reduced scale than 150.”
The meeting heard the land was earmarked for homes in the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan for 135 homes and a previous outline application had been accepted, but some councillors stated they felt 150 dwellings was too many.
Coun Andrew Woolf said: “I think it’s (the latest application) an improvement and it’s welcoming to see the financial contributions that the developer is putting forward particularly to Weston Parish Council.
“However the problems remain. While the refuse points have been taken away, you can put one over the other and it’s the same application that was refused.
“We didn’t just refuse it on refuse points, there was also poor design etc.
“Nothing’s changed. It’s still a town design wanting to fit into a rural area and it doesn’t fit.”
In a statement read out to the meeting South Holland and the Deepings MP Sir John Hayes called the application “Woefully inadequate” and said the design “bears little or no resemblance to local aesthetics and are completely out of scale and would taint the village’s historic character.”
But the majority of councilors backed the plans.
Coun Andrew Tennant said: “I can’t see what the problem is.
“Whether it’s just because our local MP lives local to Weston I can’t honestly see why it stands out amongst other villages in the district.
“I can’t see why this design of house is particularly repulsive to the environment of Weston. It’s not like we’re building these next to the Trinity Bridge in Crowland.
“Yes, it’s a village, but at the end of day this land in the local plan for 135 homes and we’re told that figure is not laid in stone and is a guideline figure.”
Katie Dowling development planner for Persimmon Homes told the meeting: “The previous submission was refused for one reason. This being the design impacts of refuse collection points from private drives. This latest submission removes the private drives and the internal road network is to be adopted by Lincolnshire Highways. Reduce parking levels.
“Parking is plentiful throughout the site.
“The scheme will benefit the wider area with affordable housing, good open space and financial contributions while contributing to the supply of housing for South Holland.”
