Objections mount to plans for 73 new homes in Helpston close to Peterborough

Plans for a controversial development of 73 new homes in Helpston are currently under consideration by Peterborough City Council.

David Wilson Homes has submitted an application to redevelop a parcel of land just off Broad Wheel Road to create a mixture of new bungalows and maisonettes as an extension to the village.

The plans include nine three-bed houses, 32 four-bed, and ten five-bed homes to be sold on the market as well as eight one-bed maisonettes, two two-bed bungalows, six two-bed houses and six three-bed houses, which will be classed as affordable homes.

The plans have drawn a wave of objections from local residents, however, with over 230 public comments being made on the website on the council’s website- the overwhelming majority of these being objections.

Many of the objections centre around the density of the plans- which appear to be contrary to the Helpston Local Plan.

The Local Plan states that any masterplan for the Broad Wheel Road site must be made for the site as a whole. This application makes use of around a third of the site.

It also lays out that the number of houses should be up to 82 and given 73 are planned on two-thirds of the site- the density when the other third is built upon would far exceed the one set out in the plan.

Challenges to the infrastructure of the village have also been questioned.

Both Barnack Parish Council and Barnack ward councillor, Cllr David Over have submitted their objections to the plans.

In its representation, the parish council said that the applicants had failed to produce a comprehensive masterplan for the whole site, provide on-site open space, provide a suitable buffer to the adjacent countryside, provide sufficient education facilities, produce a comprehensive transport assessment as well as failing to limit the numbers of homes on the whole site to 82 homes.

In submitting his objection, Cllr Over said: I have always accepted beneficial development in the village whilst maintaining its rural character.

This proposed development neither helps maintain a rural character nor provides benefits to the village.

"By far the most important concern for villages is the education provision. The village school has few empty places. The newly-arriving primary school children will generate huge pressure on the school. Plans to bus children as young as four to Barnack is out of the question. Village children should go to the village school.

“The number of houses is too much and the density is unacceptably high. Helpston is a rural village and a large housing estate is not in keeping and does little to meet the housing needs of villagers on modest incomes.

“Little other community provision has been proposed in a village with no community centre, medical facilities, modest public transport and a wooden village hall which dates back to World War I.

“Prime agricultural land is about to be built over to provide housing, not for villagers, but for people from outside with no ties to the village. The area will be a 'dormitory' with people working in London, Cambridge, Leicester and who will probably have no local involvement.”

The application can be viewed on Peterborough City Council’s planning portal using reference 22/01472/FUL.