Highways deny fears over ‘blind bend’ in Holbeach as latest phase in 900 home development is recommended for approval

The latest phase of a 900-home development is set to be approved this week - as highways bosses deny concerns over a ‘blind bend’.

Ashwood Homes bid to build 285 homes in Hallgate and Fen Road, Holbeach, had been deferred by South Holland District Council’s planning committee after citing concerns about road safety, the amount of open space on the site along with fears about future primary school spaces.

Outline planning permission for the 900 home Holbeach Meadows development was granted in 2016 and was set to include feature a new primary school, community hub and public open spaces. The developer had agreed last year to a compromise deal which saw reduced affordable housing units and contributions to Peppermint roundabout construction.

The committee has now been recommended to approve the reserved matters application after the developer removed an access road into the new site via Tudor Way along with other amendments.

Plans for pedestrian crossing on Fen Road had also generated concerns from locals about a nearby blind bend and speeding.

A report to Wednesday’s meeting states that a speed survey had been conducted on Fen Road which showed that ‘significant speeding’ does not occur and that the mean speed was 27mph.

The report states that Highways asked the developer to complete ‘improvement work’ to the road and consider this to be ‘essential’.

It goes onto say: “They do not agree that this location is a blind bend and would not have suggested the location for the highway improvement work had the location been unsafe in highways terms.

“There is suitable visibility at this location for pedestrians to judge if it is safe to complete the manoeuvre from both sides of Fen Road which has been verified by speed surveys.”

The developer has listened to fears about the impact of the proposed additional access road through the cul-de-sac, Tudor Way, which has now been removed, and have placed railings in front of the door of plot 442 to block off the attenuation pond.

During the last planning committee meeting, councillors discussed the lack of open space for families within the development. The report states that the open space has been illustrated so it accurately reflects the space available on the site.

It also states: “There is no evidence that the open space as part of the current phase provides insufficient amenity space.”

‘Actual or perceived deficiencies in infrastructure in general cannot be addressed with section 106 money’

Money from planning applications cannot be used to address ‘perceived or actual deficiencies’ in the area’s infrastructure, planners have warned.

South Holland District Council’s planning officers have warned that section 106 money, which is paid by developers to fund education, affordable housing and the NHS, can only be used to address impacts created by a development in a report to next Wednesday’s meeting.

Concerns were expressed at the June committee meeting by Fleet councillor Paul Barnes about the number of primary school places in Holbeach during discussions on Ashwood Homes bid to build 285 homes on land off Hallgate and Fen Road in the town.

The report states that lack of doctors appointments, school places and NHS dentists were among the objections voiced against this reserved matters application for the latest phase of the 900 home Holbeach Meadows development. It was granted outline planning permission several years ago when section 106 funding was agreed.

It states: “Applications can only address the impacts that the development directly creates - not only actual or perceived deficiencies in infrastructure that exist in the locality more generally - that is outside the planning regime.”

The Holbeach Meadows development will also include a new primary school and during the June meeting Coun Paul Barnes questioned when this will be delivered.

But the report states that this is ‘outside of the control’ of the council or the developer.

It adds: “The developer has attempted to transfer the land to the local education authority for an extensive period of time but has not yet been achieved as it is understood that LCC do not want to take control of the land at the present time.

“This is because they do not require a school on site currently, because the data that supports new schools does not justify it at the present time.

“Currently, the area can take additional children and LCC do not foresee any issues with current availability in schools in the area up to 2027/28.

“LCC plan schools over five year time periods, using birth rate data (not planning permission data) which means that they use birth rate data to plan for school requirements in the following five year cycle.

“Using actual data helps with funding bids to Department for Education, without it, a school cannot be built.

“If this data shows a need for additional school places in future, beyond 2027/28, LCC may respond by seeking to either extend the schools already available in the locality or seek a new school, but at present LCC do not envisage that a new primary school is needed for the next few years.

“Without a clear need, external funding would not be secured. Birth rates in the area are at an all time low and it is birth rates that LCC use to predict when new schools are needed.

“This may change in the future but with the cost of living crisis, it is currently not expected that birth rates will increase signficantly and suddenly.

“It is currently not possible to predict when a school may be built on this site, because there is currently space in current schools for the children that this site will generate and the area is experiencing low birth rates. A school is not justified at this present time.”

The report also adds that currently 125 units on the Holbeach Meadow site are occupied so far with the 900th dwelling is predictive 2042/43.