Public consultation begins over plans for 270 homes off West Road in Bourne

A housebuilder has revealed it wants to construct 270 new homes in fields on an approach to a town.

The proposed development would fill an area bordered by the A6121 Stamford Road, West Road in Bourne, and Raymond Mays Way.

It would be opposite a site proposed by Aldi for a new supermarket. The retailer’s planning application caused consternation among some residents of Bourne, who can’t understand why a greenfield site close to Bourne Wood had been earmarked.

Barratt Redrow is behind the housing application, which mentions one-bedroom through to five-bedroom homes, 30% of which would be ‘affordable’. A playground and allotments are included in its drawings, and there is mention of investment in infrastructure but not the provision of any specific facilities for residents within the site.

The proposal does mention drainage ponds, new hedges, tree planting and wildflower meadows, as well as new paths into the town centre, and buses.

The housebuilder is holding a public consultation from 4pm to 8pm on Wednesday (May 14) at Bourne Corn Exchange. People can drop in between those times to ask questions and give feedback, which Barratt Redrow should use to refine its scheme before submitting an ‘outline’ planning application to South Kesteven District Council (SKDC). A more detailed plan would then follow.

For those unable to attend the consultation, an online survey can be completed, with submissions needed by Wednesday, May 28. The link to the survey can be found at https://barrattredrow-southwestbourne.co.uk/have-your-say/

Any responses given to the housebuilder through the public consultation or survey are not necessarily seen by the district council’s planning department, and do not count as views for or against the future planning application.

Once the outline planning application is submitted to the council, the scheme will receive a planning reference number. Then people will have about six weeks to give their views to SKDC. These are looked at by the council’s planning officers and the elected planning committee before they either approve or reject the application.

If approved, Barratt Redrow says it aims to start construction next year.

The Aldi supermarket application was rejected by SKDC’s planning committee but the retailer appealed against the decision, which went to a Government Planning Inspectorate hearing last month.

The planning inspector’s decision is expected this summer.