Nine new homes given the go ahead in Coates despite recommendations to refuse

Councillors have given the go-ahead to nine new homes in Coates, despite planning officers recommending the plans be refused.

Plans for the demolition of the existing house and agricultural buildings at The Fold have been given the go-ahead following a recent meeting of Fenland District Council.

The house that will be demolished is currently being lived in by one of the applicants on what is a working farm.

Plans stated: “Some of the agricultural buildings are in a poor condition and by demolishing these, this would be an improvement to the area.

The homes would each be two-storey with garages and have four bedrooms along with private garden space, kitchen dining areas would be located on the ground floor, along with a lounge, utility room, toilet and a study, while upstairs would be the bedrooms, complete with en-suites.

Planning officers, however recommended plans to be refused due to concerns about the overdevelopment of the site and the lack of access.

Planners noted: “It is considered that nine dwellings would be an overdevelopment of the site, as it has not been demonstrated that this number of dwellings could be accommodated without significant detrimental impacts in relation to the visual amenity and character of The Fold and Blackthorn Court and the residential amenity of existing dwellings on Peakes Drive and conversely on future occupiers of the development.

"Access to one of the plots is via Feldale Lane, which in this location is narrow, unmade, does not feature any footpaths and is unlit, with the potential for pedestrian/cycle and vehicle conflict, and as such this element of the proposal is not considered to be sustainably linked to the settlement.”

Plans have, however, been approved following the meeting of Fenland’s Planning committee last month.

To view the plans, visit Fenland District Council’s planning portal and search using reference F/YR22/0786/O.