South Kesteven District Council approves details for 70 homes in Colsterworth with drainage concerns raised

Plans for details concerning a 70-home development were given the green light in a village off the A1 after a decision was previously deferred.

South Kesteven District Council's planning committee voted to conditionally approve some finer details for a development of 70 houses on Bourne Road in Colsterworth.

The application was put before councillors back in May, but they decided that the decision needed to be deferred while details concerning drainage, layout and access were addressed.

Following the previous meeting, the applicant, Balfour Beatty Homes, revised plans based on the feedback received from councillors, with a pair of proposed two-storey properties being changed to bungalows to reduce the impact on residents of Meadow Close and the largest proposed properties are now located at the forefront of the site.

Councillors remained concerned over the proposal's drainage strategy, and sought reassurance from the applicant's drainage expert that flooding issues for nearby homes on Bourne Road would not be made worse by the development, with Councillor Ian Selby (Unaligned, Harrowby) saying "I know there has been severe flooding at the Bourne Road estate in the past and sympathise with the residents greatly".

SKDC Assistant director of planning, Emma Whittaker, said: “We need the applicants to give us enough certainty that this scheme will not make the situation worse.

“In this instance it sounds that the application will provide a betterment, which is a positive."

Councillor Nick Robins (Con, Castle) wanted to ensure that Anglian Water took responsibility for the site's drainage, rather than a management company with less expertise, but it was not possible to make this a condition for approval.

He said that as a member of the committee, the development "ticks all the boxes" with "good design" and that it addresses a "demonstrable need for affordable homes" and single-storey houses, adding that, "the applicant has worked proactively with the council. All these things are stacking up to be a good scheme and worthy of us approving it today".

However, Coun Robins noted that, as a ward member, “I think it’s one of our sole jobs to look after residents, represent them and get a good deal for them.

“I too feel uneasy about there not being a final decision on if Anglian Water are going to take it on".

Councillor Ashley Baxter (Alliance SK, Market and West Deeping) expressed his disappointment, saying that the development was an opportunity to put renewable energy systems on 70 houses.

The proposal was conditionally approved, with one condition ensuring that the applicant installs safety signs to discourage people from going into the drainage pond on the southern boundary of the development.