Developer’s plans for early move in of Rectory Farm homes sparks backlash over highway safety

A developer’s attempts to move people into its new homes before “much needed” improvements to a junction are completed could be rejected at a meeting this week.

Vistry East Anglia wants to vary a strict condition on its plans for 400 new homes at Rectory Farm, stipulating no occupancy until completion of works at the nearby Linden/Jelson eastern junction.

The condition was imposed to ensure the A1/A52 junction had “adequate capacity to accommodate the additional traffic generated by the development”.

However, Vistry states that the junction works won’t be completed until late 2025 and intends to have the site occupied before then.

It has asked South Kesteven District Council for permission to move people into the 150 homes prior to the junction being finished instead.

Documents submitted to the council by Vistry said: “Vistry, and Jelson have committed to the delivery of the A1/A52 junction improvements at the earliest opportunity with the detailed design of the schemes well progressed.

“There is no intention to delay the implementation of the works but request the amendment to the condition trigger point to reflect the realistic timescales for completion of the works and not unduly delay the delivery of new homes.“

However, the authority’s planning committee on Thursday (April 18) will be told that objections have been raised by both Lincolnshire County Council and Barrowby Parish Council, citing concerns over highway safety and potential delays in the project.

Lincolnshire County Council warns the proposed variation may severely impact highway safety, especially at the A1/A52 junction, and expressed reservations, emphasizing the need for stringent safety measures amidst the delay in completing junction improvements.

“With existing developments under construction at the Countryside Properties and Poplar Farm sites and with zero occupations on Rectory Farm, the junction would operate over capacity with the risk of queueing blocking back onto the A1.

“Any additional traffic from the 150 dwellings would exacerbate this situation and cause further risk on the highway network.

“The opening of the Grantham Southern Relief Road is also likely to affect this junction and this impact has not been considered in the assessment.”

Barrowby Parish Council echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of prioritising residents' and the community's safety.

They argued against developers making decisions regarding safety issues, especially on major thoroughfares like the A1, which serve as vital access points to Grantham and the A1.

“These junction improvements are primarily aimed at safety, and it is not for the developers to decide issues around the safety of our residents and the wider community who will use the road and a major thoroughfare into and out of the town of Grantham and the major road access to the A1M,” they said.

“We already feel that the improvements to the northern A1 slip road/A52 junction do not provide the much needed safe crossing point for pedestrians and cycle traffic into the village of Barrowby, yet the Rectory Farm 2 travel plan clearly suggests these exist as a safe route for both cyclists and pedestrians.”

National Highways said it could not support this application as it will delay an essential highways mitigation scheme, potentially causing severe congestion and safety issues on the highways network, noting that delays during morning peak hours could result in long queues of vehicles waiting to turn right onto the A52 and the A1 southbound slip road.

“In addition, the length of wait is likely to increase the likelihood of drivers not waiting for a safe opportunity for turning movements.

“For right turn movements from the A1 slip road in particular, this would increase the chances of a collision with oncoming traffic on the A52.

“This could constitute an unacceptable safety impact,” they said.

"Officers will recommend that the proposals be refused, noting that approving them would result in 'a severe, unacceptable impact on highways safety and capacity.'

The council received 33 letters raising objections to the proposals for similar reasons.

Prior to the meeting, a spokesperson from Vistry Homes and Jelson Homes said: “We take the safety of everyone on the local road network extremely seriously which is why we are doing everything we can to progress the improvement works at pace.

“Independent analysis shows that the existing junction can be used safely whilst improvement works are ongoing and new homeowners settle into their homes at Rectory Farm.

“We are asking decision-makers not to delay people moving into their new homes while we wait for the junction improvements.”

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