South Holland towns and villages face big expansion

The site for 60 new homes proposed for Small Drove, Weston.

Five separate planning applications for schemes of between ten and 100 homes are to be discussed by South Holland District Council’s planning committee tomorrow (Wednesday) night.

One of them is for full planning permission to build 60 one to four-bedroom houses and bungalows on land near Weston St Mary’s Primary School, off Small Drove, Weston.

Long Sutton-based developers Seagate Homes described its plans as “a private and affordable residential scheme” designed to “create an affordable, sustainable, high-quality development” in Weston.

Development land on Harvester Way, Crowland, looking towards existing housing. Photo by Tim Wilson.

Another plan is for a 66-home development on nearly eight acres of land near Littleworth Drove, Deeping St Nicholas.

At least ten people have written to district councillors against to the plans by the Trustees of the DW Dennis Settlement who, in a statement, said: “The proposed development of this site makes the best and most efficient use of the land available.”

Residents’ concerns include increased traffic, extra demand on the village primary school and the lack of adequate drainage in Deeping St Nicholas.

The largest application is for 100 new homes in Harvester Way, Crowland, where a separate development of 50 homes was given planning permission in December 2014.

This time, Hertfordshire developers Wheatley Homes wants to build a mixed estate of one to four-bedroom homes, with 33 of them being made available on an affordable, below-market value basis.

More than 100 people have signed a petition against the plans based on fears over road safety at the junction of Peterborough Road and James Road.

The fourth plan is for 86 homes to be built on more than 11 acres of agricultural land in Gedney Road, Long Sutton, and should it be given the go-ahead. developers have pledged to pour almost £330,000 into both Long Sutton Primary School and the town’s Peele Community College.

District council planners are also to consider a ten-home development on what was a former builders’ yard in Banbury Close, Spalding.

All five applications come as a new South East Lincolnshire Local Plan is being developed which estimates that 18,000 new homes, along with 17,000 new jobs, are needed in South Holland and Boston between now and 2036.